A/N: Hello again! I'm sorry that I've taken a while to update. I've been busy. Well, this is the last chapter. Yep, you heard, er, read right. No more chapters. I'm finally finished! I'll let you know about a sequel in my Author's Note at the bottom. As always, I thank you all for my great reviews! I appreciate them! Well, here is the last chapter of Vacation Time!
Disclaimer: As I have been saying for the last twenty-some-odd chapters, I do not, nor will I ever, own Final Fantasy X- other than the game disc, that is.
Chapter 27: Goodbye Bevelle
It was a lovely day in Bevelle. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the gang was up and ready to go. All except Rikku, that is.
"So, we all ready to go?" Wakka strolled into the bedroom, luggage slung over his shoulder. He wore a pair of biege jeans, a dark blue t-shirt, and he was all set to go.
"I am," Tidus answered, appearing in the doorway. He sported a pair of blue jean shorts and yellow pocket-tee.
Lulu joined the two men, her long, thin black skirt rustling with her movement. "I believe we all are."
Yuna walked out of the closet. "I think we have everything," she announced, smoothing out her orange sundress. She began rummageing around in all of the drawers, making sure they had packed everything.
"Everything's in the bag, Yuna." Tidus grabbed Yuna's hand and started walking out of the bedroom, grabbing their bags on the way out. "We have to check-out by noon, and it's already almost eleven."
"Say, where'd Auron and Rikku go?" Wakka asked, following Tidus and Yuna out of the bedroom.
"I dunno. But I hope they're..." Tidus' voice trailed off as he entered the living room. "Ready," he finished lamely.
They weren't prepared to leave at all. Well, Auron was, seeing as how he had on a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt, but Rikku was sitting on the couch, still decked out in her pajamas.
"Just drink this. It will make you feel better," Auron prompted, standing before Rikku and holding out a glass filled with some sort of dark brown liquid.
"What is it?" Rikku poked the glass, wondering what it contained. She couldn't come up with to many options, though, with her head feeling as if an army of construction workers had set up shop inside her brain.
"You don't want to know," Auron muttered.
"Huh?"
"Just take it." He shoved the glass into Rikku's out streched hand.
Rikku sniffed the content of the glass. "Auron, it smells like sweaty socks."
"If you hadn't gotten so drunk last night, you wouldn't have to worry about what it smells like. Now drink it."
Auron's last words left no room for arguement, so Rikku reluctently downed the glass. She shuddered as she swallowed the last of the concoction. "It tastes as bad as it smells."
Auron took the glass from her. "It will help with the headache."
"I'd rather keep my headache," the Al Bhed muttered, getting up from the couch and stretching.
"And I'd rather get out of here on time." Tidus stepped in the middle of the living room. "Why aren't you dressed?" He demanded, dropping his and Yuna's bags on the floor.
"Why don't you have a hangover?" Rikku retorted, hands on her hips. She'd spent half the night in the bathroom- Thank Yevon Auron had stayed with her- and now she had horrible headache. Tidus looked as chipper as always.
"I don't get them," the blond replied quickly. "Now why aren't you ready?"
"Because I had to spend fifteen minutes trying to persuade her to drink my remedy," Auron answered for Rikku, returning from the kitchen.
"I'll go get dressed." Rikku stood from the couch and went into the bedroom. She returned seconds later. "Where are my clothes?"
"Oh, I packed them for you. I left you an outfit in the bathroom."
Rikku stared at Auron, studying him carefully. Never had she met someone who would pack her bags for her, usually it was she who packed bags for them. "Thanks, Auron."
"Yeah, yeah. Blah, blah. Go get dressed." Tidus ushered Rikku out of the living room and into the bathroom. "Hurry up."
Rikku found herself in the bathroom quicker than she bat her eyes. "Gee, Tidus, I'm going," she muttered to herself. She turned her attention to the outfit Auron had layed out for her. A pair of pinned striped capris and a matching pink tank top. Nice.
She then set to work on getting dressed, pinning up her hair, and brushing her teeth. She succeded in doing it all in less than five minutes, so she stutted into the living room with confidence. "Was that fast enough for you, Tidus?"
"Yes. Now let's go."
"We have forty-five minutes before we have to leave. I want to take a quick walk before we have to go."
"No. Now let's go." Tidus stood up from the couch, pulling Yuna up with him.
"A walk sounds nice, Honey. Let's wait a few more minutes."
Tidus let out a groan. "But-"
"Please?" Rikku and Yuna said in unison, each using the same tone of voice and each one using their 'I get what I want' skill.
"Oh, I guess so." Tidus sank down onto the couch, defeated. "But don't take to long."
"You don't want to come with me?" Yuna queried, moving closer to the door.
"Naw. Us men are gonna stay here and talk about manly things."
"All right then. Lulu, do you want to join us?"
Lulu nodded her head and stood from her position on the chair. She met the two women at the door, and called over her shoulder, "We'll be back in a few minutes.
As the women made their way down the stairs, they each decided to head their seperate ways and meet back together at the hotel room.
While the women split up, the men set in the hotel room, each one drumming their fingers and staring at the wall in front of them. Finally, Tidus spoke up.
"So, what do you guys wanna talk about?"
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It really was a lovely day. It wasn't humidly hot as it had been in the earlier days, and Lulu enjoyed the cool breeze as she walked down the sidewalk, south of the hotel. She hated to leave, yet at the same time she couldn't wait to get back to Besaid. Back home.
Back home. Soon, the house she called home now wouldn't be her home at all, just a house she visited every now and then. It was odd, really, how a place she had been living in for years would now just be 'some house', and the house she would be moving into in the coming months would be 'home'.
Lulu felt a smile tugging at her lips as she thought about the house she and Wakka would be living in. It was a few miles from her current resident, and it was a fairly good size, with a beautiful view of the ocean, but the thing that made her really smile was that it would be Wakka's and her own house. Their home. Together as a couple.
Her smile broadened as she thought of her fiancé. She loved the big silly oaf, she truely did. She couldn't pinpoint the day or the month it had begun- it had started sometime during the pilgramige, she knew that much- but one morning she and him had taken one of their usual morning walks, and in the middle of it Wakka had surprised her by stopping and taking her in his arms, and giving her a kiss that she could still feel to this day. That was the moment that she had known, truely known, that she loved him.
But thoughts of Wakka brought thoughts of Chappu, and Lulu still felt a pang of grief. Though it wasn't as fresh or as vivid as had been in previous months, it was still there. But know along with the grief she felt a new sensation: Guilt. She knew it was silly, and she knew that Chappu would want her to be happy, but Lulu couldn't help but feel just a little guilty for going with her dead fiance's brother.
Just thinking about it made her feel dirty. Wakka was Chappu's brother for Yevon's sake! What had possessed her to date him, to accept his marriage proposal? But she felt so right in Wakka's arms. So safe and protected. So loved. Besides, she had been so young when she was with Chappu. No more than nineteen when she had accepted his marriage proposal. She had been young and naive- perhaps she didn't even know what love was.
Lulu dismissed that last thought. She had loved Chappu- but he was dead. Gone. He had left her. A dead man couldn't give her comfort, or protection, or love. Only memories. And those she would always keep, tucked away in a special place in her heart.
But she would keep on living, she vowed silently, just as she had been doing for the past few years. She would marry the man she loved now, but she wouldn't forget the man she had loved. She would tuck him away in her heart, just as she had her memories.
Realizing that she had gone farther than she had meant to, Lulu stopped and surveyed her surroundings. She was about three blocks from the hotel, and there was a small cafe on the next corner. Deciding to purchase herself a coffee before she had to head back to the hotel, Lulu began making her way towards cafe. She needed something to get her mind off of all her thoughts.
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Yuna, who had gone north of the hotel, looked around and realized that she was completely and utterly lost. She sighed in desperation, wondering just how she had gotten herself in this predicament. She was a Summoner, a Grand Sumoner at that, and she had walked around Spira for months and had never gotten lost. But let her walk out of the house by herself and she had no clue where she was.
She had taken a few alleyways, in an attempt to get away from the cluttered streets, and now she was about five blocks southeast of the hotel, or so she guessed. So all I have to do, Yuna decided, is retrace my steps. Then I'll end up back at the hotel...I hope.
Yuna began weaving her ways through the maze of alleyways, and ended up back out on a busy street. Only it wasn't a street she recongnized, so she hung her head in despair. How had she managed to get herself lost? Never had she been lost before, and she had trekked all over Spira. Then again, she was seldom alone during her pilgrimage. After Tidus had joined the group, he was usually close to her side.
Tidus. What would do in a situation like this? As long as Yuna had known him, he had never been lost, so he wouldn't even have her current problem. But what would he do...?
He'd laugh his butt off at her, that's what he'd do, Yuna decided, sitting down on a nearby bench. Tidus was always so cheerful, and confident, he'd never end up in a situation like this. Yuna, on the other hand, was much more meek and submissive- submissive? That made her sound weak, and weak was one thing she that was not. Maybe in previous months she would have thought of herself as weak, but not now. Not since Tidus.
In all the months she had know him, Tidus had given her a strengh that Yuna had nerver known she had possessed. He had given her courage in herself, and a confidence that she had never had, and from those he had given her a strenght that she would have never thought possible of herself had he not if come into her life.
And now is a perfect time to test that strength, Yuna thought resolutly, picking herself up of the bench. She set off in what she thought was the direction of the hotel with a newfound purpose. Not just to find her way back, but to make Tidus proud.
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Once again Rikku found herself down at the beach. Something about all the care-free people and the gentle laping of the water just drew her there. Maybe it was because she had grown up in a dessert, and she had never been to a beach as a child; never experienced building sand castles and playing in the shallow waters with her friends and family. Or maybe it was because she didn't know of any other place in Bevelle that she could reach on foot.
Regardless of the reason, Rikku still found herself sitting on the sand, her feet in the water and the waves reaching up to her ankles. The sea breeze blew gently against her face, which greatly helped with what little hangover she still felt. She was really enjoying her time alone.
She also found herself regretting the fact that she had to leave the city of Bevelle. It had taken her a little over a week to accomplish what she had been working on for months in Besaid. She had won the love of the man she loved. In a week! That was a new record. She had gotten a new boyfriend, had a great vacation, gotten in a fight with her new boyfriend, confessed her love for him, and had him return her feelings in a week.
But a nagging doubt wouldn't leave Rikku alone. A week was a very short time to fall in love with somebody, even if you had known him for good while. She was sure she loved Auron, but what if he didn't love her? Or what if he just thought he loved her? A week was such a short time...What if he was imagining it all?
She shook her head, clearing it of all of her absurd thoughts. Of couse Auron loved her! He wasn't the type to imagine things. Or to open his mouth without thinking things through. He was Auron, after all. Her Auron.
Rikku wriggled her toes in the watery sand and leaned back, falling into the crystal like grain. She wasn't the only one to have gained something on this trip. Yuna was engaged, and Lulu was...well, Lulu was Lulu. But still, the mage had enjoyed herself. Rikku smiled as she thought of all they had gained. Love, laughter, fun, marriage. She really did hate to leave, but it wasn't as if they were leaving all that they had gained behind. They would be taking it with them.
But, they didn't have to leave just yet, so Rikku stayed in her spot on the beach, enjoying what little time Bevelle she had left.
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"What is taking them so long?" Tidus wondered aloud, checking his wrist watch for the hundereth time. In the half-hour that the women had been gone, the guys hadn't talked about anything but them, and now they weren't even here on time.
"Who knows? But I'm gonna go look for 'em, ya?"
"I'll join you. We've already loaded the Navigator, the only thing left to load is us." Auron joined Wakka at the door, looking around the room that had been his home for the past week. His gaze settled on the couch. That was one thing that he wouldn't miss. The only good that had come from it was the fact that he got to share it with Rikku.
"You comin' Tidus?"
"Yeah, I guess." He met the two men at the door. "Well, so long room. Maybe we'll see ya again."
"Ya, you've been good to us," Wakka added, giving the room one last look.
Auron tugged the door open, rolling his eyes as he did so. "I pity Yuna and Lulu."
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Lulu was making her way back towards the hotel, her second coffee of the day in hand, when she spotted a familiar flash of red hair. "Wakka?" she said, a questioning tone in her voice. She made her way up the sidewalk, meeting him half way. "What are you doing here?"
"It was time to check-out, so I had to come find you, ya?" He drapped an arm across her shoulder, propelling her fowards.
"But how did you know where I was?" The mage arched her eyebrows. Bevelle was large, what would make him look for her here?
"Lucky guess," Wakka answered with a smile. His smile faded when he say the look of sadness on his fiancee's face. "Lu, what's the matter?"
Lulu took a sip of her coffee. "Nothing, Wakka." Knowing that that wasn't enough to keep his questioning at bay, she added with a small smile, "I was just thinking, is all."
To Lulu's relief, he didn't question her further, only transfer his hand from her shoulder to her hand. They spent therest of the walk in silence, with Wakka stroking the back of Lulu's hand and the mage sipping her coffee, which was growing colder by the minute. Right before they reached the hotel parking lot, Wakka broke the silence.
"You know, I love you, Lu," Wakka said in an almost shy tone of voice.
"I know, Wakka."
When she said no more, Wakka's suspicions grew. She had been thinking of Chappu, and he knew it. Perhaps she had even been thinking about their wedding, and now with her thoughts on Chappu, maybe she didn't want to go through with it. When she slipped her hand out of his own, Wakka spirits sank even lower.
By the time they reached the Navigator, Wakka's head had been reeling so that he slumped against, positive that Lulu had finally realized that she didn't really love him and was only using him as a substitute.
"Wakka?" Lulu began, breaking air of slience that had cast it's self over them.
"Ya, Lu?"
"You know that I love you, right?"
"Ya, Lu," Wakka repeated, his tone of voice betraying his words.
His tone of voice caught Lulu off guard. She rarely ever heard him sound so defeated."Wakka." Lulu planted herself firmly in front of him. "You believe me, don't you?"
"Ya, Lu, I believe you." He stared at the ground as he spoke the words, never once meeting her gaze.
Lulu placed her hand beneath his chin, determined to make him believe him. When he finally met her gaze, she knew that words would be futile, so she moved her lips to his, hoping that if he wouldn't believe her words, he would believe her actions.
When she broke contact, Lulu saw many emotions swimming in his hazel eyes: Confusion, hurt, maybe slight fear, but the one that stood out the most was love, and that made her feel so good. "Wakka," she said in so softly that it surprised even her, "I do love you."
The look in her eyes and the tone of her voice let Wakka know that she truely meant what she said. "I know you do," he said, pulling her in his arms and regretting that he had ever doubed her. "I know." He lifted her face and let her know just how he felt.
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Yuna lifted her head high and strutted along Main Street. She had found her way back, and she had done on her own. No one had helped her, she had done it all by herself, and that made her feel better that it probably should have, but she didn't care. She had-
"Yuna!"
Hearing her name interrupted Yuna's thoughts. She stopped in her tracks and looked ahead, trying to spot the man that had called her name in the crowd of people shuffling about the sidewalk.
"There you are," Tidus said, panting slightly as he made his way past the last group of people that seperated them. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
"No, actually, I don't. You see, I got lost and-"
"Lost? Why didn't you call me? I could have come and helped you! Do you know-"
Yuna held up her hand to silence Tidus' ranting. He could be so overprotecting at times, though she had to admit that it was kind of endearing. "Tidus, you did help me."
"Huh?" He fell in step beside Yuna. "How?"
Yuna blushed, realizing that her reason sounded silly. "You see," she started slowly, "before I met you, I would have never had the self-confidence to get myself out of trouble like that. But when I met you, you gave me a strength that I never had before, and that helped me find my way back. I know it sounds silly..." Yuna fell silent, staring at the ground intently, wondering why she had ever said anything at all.
"I don't think it's silly," Tidus said, grabbing her hand. "I think it makes me sound good," he said with a grin, earning him a playful slap on the shoulder.
"You big moron." Yuna smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Honestly though, thank you."
Tidus returned the smile and kissed the top of head. "You're welcome."
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Rikku glanced at her wrist watch and jumped up off the ground. Tidus was going to kill her! She had five minutes to get back to the hotel if she wanted to keep her life. Brushing the sand off her feet to the best of her abilities, she quickly shoved them in her flip-flops and took off running.
She had just stepped of the beach when she ran directly into someone, which resulted on her landing on her bottom and being back on the sand.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," she began apologetically, rubbing her forehead. "I was-"
"Rikku, are you all right?"
"Auron?" The Al Bhed looked up to see a concerned looking Auron kneeling before her. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to find you," he answered, pulling her to feet. "This was the first place I thought to look." He gently ran his fingers across her forehead. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine." She dusted herself off and moved her hand to her forehead as well. "It's just a little bump."
"If you're sure." Auron lowered his hands and began walking back towards the hotel. "How's your headache?"
"Gone," Rikku replied cheerily, picking up one of his hands and swinging it between them.
"So I see." He glanced at the woman beside him, and wondered just how he had ended up with her. She was so peppy, so active, so...full of life. And he...well, he was just the opposite. Perhaps there was truth to the old saying 'opposites attract' after all.
"Whatcha thinking about?" Rikku queried, cocking her head to one side as they made their journey back to the hotel.
"Nothing interesting. What are you thinking?" he retorted, turning the question around on her.
"That I'm gonna miss this place," Rikku replied honestly. "This vacation has been fun. We picked up crazy hitch hikers, we got lost, we had a great time in Bevelle, Yunie's engaged, and I even got to improve on my hand-to-hand combat skill."
Auron chuckled at her last comment, remembering all to well her 'lessons in combat', with Lily playing the role of the punching bag.
"But do you wanna know the best part?"
"And what would that be?"
"You," Rikku replied quietly.
Auron smiled and sqeezed her hand. "Rikku, just because we're going home doesn't that are relationship is going chage."
"I know." Rikku looked up at him, a smile in her eyes. "It's just kind of sad having to leave, you know?"
Auron nodded his head. He found that he wanted to go back home, but also that he would miss this place. The sense of vacation a freedom would be over, and would be replaced with the sense of every-day life. Work would replace freedom. But, he decided, as long as Rikku was still by his side, he could handle it.
"Let's move. If we're a few seconds late-"
"Tidus will kill us," Rikku finsihed.
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"It's about time!" Tidus declared, watching as Rikku and Auron came to rest beside the Navigator. "I didn't think you two would ever show up."
"Oh, Tidus, we just arrived a few minutes ago." Yuna turned to her two comrades. "Did you have a nice walk?"
"Yep. I guess I'm ready to go back home, now."
"So am I," Yuna agreed.
" 'Bout time." Tidus opened the driver side door, and propped himself against it. "You know, I had fun, though."
"Me, too, ya?"
"Yes. It was enjoyable," Lulu agreed, slipping her arm around Wakka'a waist.
"It was a nice vacation." Yuna opened the passenger door and slipped inside. "I had a great time."
"Me, too, Yunie. Me, too." Rikku propped herself against the side of the truck, and looked up at the hotel. It had been a great vacation, and she was glad that she got to spend it with her friends. Even though they had a couple of rough patches, the good times far out weighed the bad. "But, all good things-"
"Must come to an end," Auron finshed, opening the door and motioning for Rikku to get in.
"Yep." Rikku smiled as she took her seat in the middle, realizing that she and Auron had been finishing each other's sentences a lot lately.
"Time to head back home," Yuna said, closing her passenger side door and rolling down he window.
"Besaid, here we come," Tidus declared, starting the engine and pulling out of the parking lot.
"The islanders just had an urge to run for cover, yet they don't why," Wakka joked, earning a laugh from each person in the truck.
Rikku settled herself next to the window, watching everybody get settled in for the long ride home. Wakka and Lulu cuddled up in the back seat, while Yuna and Tidus began discussing the best route home. Auron looked out his own window, so Rikku turned her gaze to hers.
After a few moments of silence, Auron leaned over towards her. "So, are you prepared to go back home?"
Rikku thought about it for a few minutes, and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I am. Now I get to show you off to all the girls back home and watch them eat their hearts out."
Auron chuckled and drapped him arm around her. "You flatter me."
Rikku giggled and buried her head in his shoulder, content to spend the whole ride home there. As the buildings of Bevelle grew smaller in the distant, Rikku knew that this was a vacation that she would never forget.
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Reply to my wonderful reviews...
Cloudude: Yep, this is my last chapter...But, there will be sequel, so- Yay!
tidusXyuna637: Thank you very much!
Yuna-Elena: Yep, I had to bring 'em back. I love my grusome threesome!
Auron's Fan: Mini-pocket machine gun, eh? Those things sound handy!
Gothmaniac: An evil musical? Ah! Take cover! Heh..I know, I'm crazy.
The Dr: I hate those stupid after-school special things...Anyhoo, thanks for the review!
Innocentenshi: Thank you!
GiGgLyGaL: Only ten minutes on the computer? I'd die... x.x Heh. Thanks for the review!
Chibi-Sorrow: I'll have to pick up Lost Kindom, it sounds interesting. Thank you for the review!
Mysterious Digidreamer: I'm gonna do a sequel 'cause everyone seems to want one, and I can improve my writing skill. I'll be looking for you!
Darkthief: Oh Yeah!
Dstar504: Yep, Lily's annoying. Well, she past annoying...She's a bisnich.
Hikaru-Chan: Three reviews for one chapter! Heh. Hope ya had fun on your vacation. I am gonna write about the weddings, so you get your request. And, I'll check out your fic when you post it. Though you might want to send me like a reminder by e-mail or something...I'm really forgetful...
Cazzyrulz: Tidus was a just a little tipsy...Heh. And, you'll get a sequel!
Electric2-BitDemon: Thank you, and I shall write a sequel!
SorielDegamba: Okay, this is going to make me sound really pathetic, but what is a citrus-limeony? I have an idea, but I don't know if it's right...Anyways, thanks for the review!
Moonlitesadness: Thank ya! I e-mailed you the rest of the chapter. Did you get it?
Anonymous: I know it's not very true to the game...I'll try to stick with it more in my sequel. Thank you for reading though!
Tidus+Yuna Flamboyent: Well, he's not really that old, but he is good-looking as far as video game characters are concerned. I mean he is fake and all...His voice actor does a really good job though. That's why a lotta people like him. His voice is Se-xy! Thank ya for the review, though!
Anonymous: Khimari is off on Mt. Gagazet, rolling around in the snow. I'm sorry he's not in it, but I couldn't think of a good part. I'll include him in my sequel, though.
A/N: Oh my God I'm done! Yay! My first fic ever finished! Whoo hoo! Man, big thanks to all you guys (and gals) for your reviews! Without them, I wouldn't have even wrote this. Wow, I can't believe I'm done...Shoo.
Well, about a sequel...I'm gonna do one. It'll be about the weddings, so I think I'll call it Wedding Time. Yes, I know, horrible title, but it goes along with Vacation Time.
Again, thank you to all who have reviewed. To one chapter, to every chapter... Thanks. You guys that have stuck with this fic are awsome, and to those who just read it now and then are great to. Thank you for reading this.
Well, I'm done, so I will see you guys around! Don't forget to leave me one last review! And be on the lookout for Wedding Time! I hope to see you all there!
-Emily-