"Mm... what time is it?"

"Um." I opened my eyes against the blinding sun and squinted at my clock until the numbers made sense. "Eleven-eleven." A smile slowly crosses my face. "Make a wish."

"Oh," Tidus turned away. "Okay."

He immediately turned back. "Eleven? Already! C'mon, Yunie, we have to get up!"

I snuggled closer to my boyfriend. "Dun wanna," I mumbled stubbornly. Tilting my head upward a bit, I added, "And since when do you call me 'Yunie'?"

The man grinned down at me. "Since I decided that you needed a cute nickname," he answered as his arms encircled my waist.

"Then I get to give YOU one."

Tidus hesitated, then said, "I. don't think so."

"Oh, I do!" I smiled and leaned back a bit, looking him up and down mockingly. I tapped my chin with my index finger for a moment, trying to come up with a suitable pet name. My brain skipped all over the place, searching for some blackmail to dig up. When I couldn't find anything, I focused on his name. Tidus.. Tee-dus. I repeated the syllables in my head until something clicked.

"Dusty," I replied with a decided nod.

Tidus groaned and turned sideways, burying his head into a pillow while I sat up next to him.

"Or Sunny," I mused, fingering a lock of his flaxen hair.

He groaned again.

A grin spread across my face and I flopped forward so my cheek rested on his back. "You smell good," I commented, my voice muffled by his shirt.

In a swift movement the newly-named Dusty rolled over and pinned me under him. Burying his face in my neck, he said, "You do, too."

I giggled as his breath tickled skin.

"I keep forgetting you're so ticklish," he commented absently, nuzzling against my shoulder. A second later I felt his tongue draw a line from my collarbone to my jaw. I giggled again, suddenly slightly breathless, and placed one hand on his hip and the other on the back of his neck, pulling him as close to me as possible. I closed my eyes as he kissed my neck and chin, and practically melted into the bed when one of his hands found my thigh.

"Yunie, time to get-oh!"

Tidus practically flew off me in an attempt to look innocent. And he succeeded, aside for the fact that Rikku had already seen him laying on top of me.

I, however, looked pretty much anything BUT innocent. My face was completely flushed, and I was grinning almost insanely, panting for breath. "R- Rikku!" I exclaimed, trying to find an excuse. "We were just . . . Uh . . ." I looked to Tidus for help, but he just shrugged.

"It's not what it looks like?" Tidus suggested meekly.

Rikku started to back slowly out of the room. "Um . . . yeah. Well, you guys have to hurry up and get ready, we're going to Luca today!"

"Luca?" I questioned. "Why Luca?"

"Because Myena still needs to get some stuff for the... thing she's doing. Yeah. Exorcism, that's it. She can't get all the stuff she needs in Besaid."

I nodded. "Okay, just give me a minute to get changed and brush my hair, okay?"

Rikku nodded and left my room quickly, obviously still embarrassed for barging in on us.

I looked to Tidus. "You better go get changed, too. Can't go shopping looking like you just got out of bed, right?"

He smiled boyishly at me. "But I don't want to get up," the ex-blitzer whined, burying his face in the nape of my neck.

"Hey!" I protested. "That's MY excuse!"

Tidus said nothing, just snuggled closer, wrapping his arms around my middle.

"Dusty." My voice held an obvious warning in it. "Come on. You wouldn't keep your girlfriend from SHOPPING, would you? It's what girls do best!"

"I can think of about a million things you can do better than waste money."

I smirked. "Name one."

"Kiss."

I laughed. "Well, even still, I want to go shopping. And I haven't been to Luca for so long…"

My boyfriend smiled and grudgingly sat up. "Okay, as long as I get to choose your clothes for you."

I whimpered. "Someone save me."

Half an hour had passed by the time we were settled comfortably on the airship. I was perched over Tidus's outstretched legs in one of the window seats, my forehead leaning against the wonderfully cool glass. It was unbelievably hot for April, the digital thermometer on the wall reading almost ninety degrees, and Cid had turned off the air conditioner because it used up too much gas. I was actually glad that Tidus had picked the cool, airy clothes he did for me, however inappropriate they were.

The boy upon whom I was currently seated absently moved his fingers in an abstract design over the skin exposed by my dark denim shorts. Suddenly he moved his head from where it had been resting on my shoulder and looked behind him. I turned, too, but saw nothing.

Tidus apparently had, because he watched whatever it was for a moment, then looked back.

My eyes met his. "What is it?" I asked curiously.

He looked away quickly and, after a moment's hesitation, shook his head, with a mumbled "Nothing."

I let out a quiet "hmm" of disbelief, then settled myself back against his chest. I knew what "it" had been, and I knew why he wasn't telling me. He had seen someone, or something, and didn't want me to worry about it. Part of me thanked him for it, but part of me wished he could tell me anything he saw or heard.

"Do you think you have to protect me?" I asked quietly. "Because you don't. She's affecting me too, you know."

I felt his chest as he sighed. "I know. But I'm your guardian, remember? I'm supposed to do everything I can to, well, guard you."

I shrugged. "Anyway, let's just drop the subject. So, what are you going to look for in Luca?"

I felt his cheeks shift against my shoulder and knew he was smiling. "It's a secret."

I pouted. "You're no fun."

His smile broadened. "You'll know soon enough. Be patient, love."

I sighed mockingly. "Alright, fine. Keep your secrets."

"Trust me, you'll love it," my boyfriend assured me as he kissed my shoulder blade.

I smiled and leaned my head against the window. "You'd better not give me a hickey. That would be way too hard to explain to Lulu."

"Too late."

I whirled and looked at him. "What!"

Tidus reached up and pressed a finger to the back of my neck. "Right there. But, don't worry," he assured me. "Your hair hides it good enough."

"Well enough," I corrected out of habit.

"Whatever."

I laughed and spun around, positioning my legs were on either side of him. "Well," I said, knowing my eyes were gleaming devilishly, "if you get to give me one, I get to give you one."

The boy looked surprised for a millisecond, then smirked. "Deal."

"Do they always do this?"

Upon hearing Myena's voice I jerked my head back. Tidus's eyes snapped open, his face flushed.

Rikku who, I noticed, was standing next to the Angel, simply shrugged. "You get used to it."

My cousin looked to Myena, then back to me, a stunned look in her green eyes that passed quickly. "Nice outfit," she commented with a knowing glance at Tidus.

I blushed and said nothing. She didn't add how my clothes didn't suit me, though I knew she was thinking it. We both knew that the halter top with its plunging neckline and denim hot-pants were better suited for an outgoing Al Bhed than a quiet ex-summoner.

"I picked it out," my boyfriend explained with a grin.

Rikku gave him one of her many 'looks,' this one telling that she already knew. "Yeah, I kind of guessed that."

"I could say the same thing for you, Rikku." I motioned to her own attire, a purple bra-like shirt with a brown leather vest over it and a blue skirt that was only as long as it had to be. "There wouldn't happen to be anyone you'd like to impress, would there?"

My cousin blushed brightly and looked down, her silence an answer in and of itself. I couldn't help but wonder who, exactly, she was trying to impress. The only ones on the ship were her, Tidus, the Angels, and myself.

I smirked. So she was sweet on an Angel.

"Uh. anyway," Rikku said quickly, looking up. "We came to tell you guys that we should be in Luca in about fifteen minutes."

I smiled and gave her a nod. "Okay."

There was silence for a moment, then Myena grinned, almost evilly. "Well, we'll let you get back to your work, Lady Yuna."

I blushed profusely, looking down as she and my cousin, who was holding back giggles and reprimanding Myena for being "mean," walked back to wherever they had been hanging out for the trip thus far, probably the control room.

I met Tidus's eyes with my own, silent for a moment.

He grinned after a second. "Well, are you gonna take her advice?"

I laughed and leaned close to him once again. "You know it."

"Oh, Rikku, come see this dress!" I called, craning my neck behind me in an attempt to locate my cousin in the huge Lucan store.

The Al Bhed bounced over to me from the fitting rooms. "What do you think?" she asked, spinning around so I could see her short, flowered dress.

I smiled. "It's cute. How much is it?"

Rikku searching for a price tag and found it hanging from the left sleeve. "Four hundred and eighteen Gil."

My jaw dropped.

She just laughed. "Come on, Yunie, this is LUCA! Everything's expensive here!"

"But four hundred Gil for a DRESS? That's insane!"

My cousin smiled slyly. "And how much is THAT one?" She questioned, motioning to the dress in my hand.

I looked at the price tag. My face paled. "Eight hundred." I quickly replaced the garment it its original place.

What're you girls looking at?

I jumped a little; I hadn't even heard him walk up behind us. I turned and smiled a bit at the Arel who was leaning against a nearby clothing rack and peering over my shoulder.

"Just the worst-priced clothes I've ever seen," I answered simply.

He wrinkled his nose at the dress I had just put back. You like that kind of thing?

I laughed a little. "Usually, no, but I thought it was cute. Little did I know it was eight hundred Gil."

The Angel looked thoughtful. And that's… expensive, right?

I stared at him. "For clothes, yes!"

And expensive is… bad, right?

My brows arched and, with a glance at Rikku, slowly replied "…Yes, it's bad when you're on a budget. Don't you have money where you're from?"

We do, but it's if Myena's calculations were right, eight hundred gil isn't too bad.

I shrugged. "If you say so."

It suddenly occurred to me that Rikku and I were the only ones who could hear our companion, and, upon looking around, I noticed the saleswoman behind the counter was staring at us with interest.

I lowered my voice. "And I wish you would talk with words instead of... however you do it," I muttered. "People will start wonder."

He sighed. But this way's so much easier, his mental voice said as he gave a fake pout.

"Not for, the people who're getting stared at. At least do some hand motions or something, make it look like you can't talk."

"Or something," Rikku added hastily.

I glanced at her. Was Arel the one she was trying to impress? I didn't know; I wasn't very good at identifying other people's feelings.

The Al Bhed met my eyes. "Hey, why don't we go somewhere cheaper?"

I nodded. "Just let me find-"

My words were cut off as unnecessary when I felt someone's hand brush my against my hip, and I turned my head to see the boy I was just about to look for.

We shared a quick smile. "Find anything?" Tidus asked as he slung an arm over my shoulders.

I snorted lightly. "Not that I could afford."

"Which one?" The bleach-blonde blitzer asked curiously.

"This." I pulled the blue short-skirted dress off the rack it hung on, wondering why he cared.

He grinned. "It's nice. How much?"

"Eight hundred."

His brows rose. "For a DRESS? I mean, not that it's not nice or anything, but isn't that a bit much?"

They've both been saying that, but back in the Silver City, things cost MUCH more, Arel piped up.

Everyone in our small group looked at him.

"Silver City?" Rikku asked. "Is that where you live?"

Arel nodded. The Silver City is the capital of Eden. It's the most populated city in our world.

"Do you miss it there?" I asked. I knew that I would miss Besaid if I went somewhere where people didn't even know the little island's name.

He sighed. I can't say that I do. The Silver City was no more of a home than anywhere else Theo, Myena, and I have traveled.

"You all go to the same places together?" Tidus inquired. "Don't you get to work with anyone else?"

The Angel shrugged his shoulders. We've had other Angels help us, but usually it's just the three of us.

Upon looking around once more, I saw that the clerk looking at us. again. Some people definitely needed to learn to mind their own business. "Hey," I said quickly. "You guys wanna go someplace else? Somewhere where people are friendlier?" I said the last part with a pointed glare at the woman who found us so fascinating.

Tidus frowned a little. "Sure." the blond said slowly.

Once we were out of the store I massaged my temples with my middle and index fingers to fend off a growing headache. Rikku was talking to Arel, trying to find out more about his Silver City. Tidus, however, was watching me intently.

"You okay?" he asked, concern in his eyes and voice.

I smiled up at him. "I'm fine, that woman was just annoying me."

He tilted his head at me. "Woman? Which woman?"

"The one behind the counter. She kept staring at us while we were talking to Arel. I wish she would mind her own... business," I said, quickly squelching the curse that rose in my throat.

My boyfriend nuzzled against my neck. "Hey, don't worry about it. You'll never see her again. Besides, some people's lives are so boring they don't have anything better to do but butt into other people's business."

A smile crept across my lips, the headache having dissipated for the moment. "How is it you can always make me feel so much better, no matter what the problem is?"

I felt him grin against my shoulder, where his head now rested. "It's a gift."

"Well, I hope you never lose it. It could come in handy some day."

"Lady Yuna? Is that Lady Yuna?"

I couldn't help but wonder why people always find me at the worst moments possible as I quickly pushed myself away from the wall I had been pinned to by aforementioned boy.

I cracked an eye open to see who was talking to (or about) me and groaned. Caught in the act. Before me stood a reporter and camera man. I didn't claim to know much about machina, but, judging by the little red light flashing on the camera, we were currently being filmed.

"Oh Yevon," I muttered.

I looked at my blushing boyfriend, knowing my face was just as crimson as his. He met my eyes as we both tried to keep from laughing.

Willing myself to sober, I took a deep breath and said. "Yes, it's me."

The woman briefly looked me up and down. "Um... Lady Yuna, would you and Sir Tidus mind doing a quick interview with me? I mean, since you're here and all. Unless, of course, you have something to do?"

"Oh." I looked to Tidus "Um, no, we were just looking around."

"Excellent! This'll get me on the news for sure!" The reporter raised an arm and pulled it downward, her hand making a fist, in one of Tidus's signature movements that much of Spira had adopted. She abruptly remembered the camera was still recording and turned to face the machina, her air instantly turning professional.

"Good evening, Spira!" She said into the glowing blue microphone. "This is Kaia on location in Luca, where I have just found Spira's favorite couple, Lady Yuna and Sir Tidus, who have agreed to a brief interview with me! Now, Lady Yuna," She turned to me. "All of us remember you as the quiet summoner from Besaid who saved Spira from Sin. Now, judging by your current clothes, you've, uh, 'changed' quite a bit. Can you tell us what inspired the transformation?"

I smirked and held up my index and middle fingers. "Two things. One, Spira itself has changed, and no one wants to be behind the times." I lowered one finger. "And two, it comes from having a boyfriend who I let pick out my clothes." I said the last bit with a grin at the blond next to me.

He blushed again and threw his head back, covering his face with one hand. "Yuna! You didn't have to say THAT!"

I giggled. "You know I did."

Kaia's attention was then drawn to the boy at my side. "Well, Sir Tidus, since I've gathered that you're responsible for Yuna's new outfit, why did you choose that particular one?"

He grinned and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Guess."

"Ooh, someone's a little feisty today," I commented.

"Well, after last night, what can you expect?"

I blushed intensely. "Ah! He didn't mean it like that, really!" I assured the reporter.

She smiled mysteriously. "Of course he didn't. That, however, raises a question. I'm sure Spira would like to know, Lady Yuna, if you are or are NOT a virgin."

"Ah!" I exclaimed again, covering my face with my hands and leaning heavily against Tidus. I hoped he would think of some cute little answer for me.

He seemed to get the hint, but answered in a way I had REALLY hoped he wouldn't. "You don't REALLY want to know, do you?"

I didn't think I'd ever been so red in my entire life. "Why is it that you always have to embarrass me?"

The blitzer grinned. "Because you turn the cutest shade of red when you blush."

"One more question, if you please, Sir Tidus," Kaia said, sounding slightly uncertain.

The boy she talked to quickly turned to her and nodded. "Shoot."

The young reporter looked relieved. "Okay. It's common knowledge that you mysteriously disappeared after the fight against Sin. So, how did you get back here?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment, then grinned and shook his head. "To tell the truth, I really don't know how - or why - I'm here. All I know is that I'm here now, and I don't know if I'll ever go back to wherever it is I went, so I'd better make the most of it."

I stared at him, my eyes revealing my shock. He thought he could be sent back? I wondered why he hadn't told me.

Tidus looked at me and smiled lovingly. His eyes told me that it was all a lie, just something to feed the public. I realized that the people of Spira wouldn't want to know the truth; about how there was some demon terrorizing us that we didn't know how to stop. Besides, that would trigger too many questions.

I smiled at the reporter. "Any other questions?"

She smiled back and shook her head. "Thank you for your time, Lady Yuna and Sir Tidus."

The light on the camera flicked off, and the man holding it nodded to the brunette reporter. She nodded back and turned to us. "We may need to cut some small bits out of it, but if you wanna see it, the interview will be on tonight's evening news. Expect it around... six-thirty, maybe?"

I nodded and preformed the bow, the prayer gesture from when Yevon was in power. Spira had adapted its meaning as a gesture of parting or meeting, being unable to tear itself completely from its roots. She bowed back and jogged off. "Bye, Lady Yuna!"

"Rikku!"

Upon hearing my name called, I turned to find the speaker.

Myena was walking towards me quickly, her black boots clicking on the sidewalk.

I smiled at her. "Hi, Myena. What's up?"

"Do you know where I can get some of these things?" She passed a short list over to me.

I looked over the paper and frowned lightly. "Garlic, cloves... you sure this isn't a recipe?"

"Funny," the Angel replied sarcastically. "Garlic and cloves are good for purification and exorcism. The white candle you see down further" - she pointed down the paper a little - "is for the invocation of the Fates. The black candle is for the banishment of negativity. The red is to represent love, because it got us all into this mess in the first place. Barley is for cleansing, cotton for purification, water for healing, and the rest is for a whole mess of stuff."

I paused, thinking. "I think I know a place where we can get at least MOST of this stuff, but a lot of it is really hard to come by on Spira."

Myena nodded. "Okay, good. Can you take me there?"

A few minutes later, Myena, Arel (who had been silent through Myena and my brief conversation), and I stood in front of a small shop. I led them through the door with its dusty windowpanes and tinkling bells, and called to the owner of the store. "Bara! Oui eh drana?"

A female voice come to me from the darkness in the back of the store. "Oayr! Fru ec ed?"

"Ed'c Rikku!"

"Rikku?" There was a rustling of papers and boxes, and the creak of a door, and then out stepped Bara, the Al Bhed shopkeeper. She tucked loose strands of blonde hair up into her bun and pulled a pair of green-tinted goggles away from her eyes. "Ec ed naymmo oui?"

I smirked. "Hu, ed'c sa krucd. E teat eh dra vekrd ykyehcd Sin." Then I reached up and covered my mouth with my hand, remembering that Bara's brother had been killed in Operation Mi'ihen. "Ur! Bara, E's cu cunno!"

The older Al Bhed smiled. "Ed'c ugyo." Then she looked behind me and noticed Myena and Arel. "Oh! How impolite of us, speaking Al Bhed around Spirans! Rikku, why didn't you introduce me to your friends?"

I smiled. "That's Myena," I said, pointing to the female Angel. "And that's Arel. He doesn't talk much." I said this while motioning vaguely in his direction.

My fellow Al Bhed smiled at them. "My name's Bara. It's a pleasure to meet you. So, what can I help you all with?"

I handed the paper I still clutched to Bara. "Do you have any of these things?"

The woman looked the list up and down a few times, then nodded. "I have most of it, I think." With that, she disappeared into the back room.

About ten minutes later she returned, her arms full of the needed goods. "Okay, Rikku, I've got everything on your list. except water. Do you really need to BUY water? Because I have some, if you do."

"No," I said quickly. "We have water."

"Okay. Well, your total comes to a hundred and thirty Gil."

My jaw dropped.

"Hey, this lot doesn't come cheap! Some of it had to be imported from place like Bikanel, and Macalania!"

"Come on, don't I get a discount? I'm almost family!"

Bara laughed. "Rikku, we're the same race. That HARDLY counts as family. But, since I know your father so well, I guess I could give it to you for one-fifteen."

"Deal!" I pulled out the desired Gil from my leg-pouch and slid it across the counter to my friend.

Once I had my purchases, Bara called out the door to me, "Hey! You'd better come back and visit me sometime! I haven't seen you in years!"

I laughed. "Sure! Maybe when I come looking for a birthday gift for Yunie!"

"Her birthday's soon? Tell her I wish her a happy birthday!"

"I will!" With that, we left, with me in the lead and Arel letting the door swing closed behind him.

.-

A/N: Christ, it's been so long! And I'm sorry! But you can see how long this chapter is! Just look at it! Thirteen pages! Plus, I've been working like crazy on my Yuna costume; I just finished tonight, and I need it for tomorrow x.x; I'm the queen of cutting it close.

I know, I know, the picture of me didn't work last time. I know why; let me just find it again.

Okay, got it. ?photo23110papasssort2thecat500 I hope it worked! If not, well, y'all will get to see me soon enough in my Gunner Yuna costume P. Yes, that's the costume I'm working on. Insane? Oh yes. I am.

Mucho kudos to Merry-san, who beta'd this for me twice, and even made her cameo debut (she's Kaia, the reporter from up top). If there's something wrong with Rikku's section up there, it's because I wrote it at three AM and she's not on to beta it for me. Subliminal message: Read One More Second, by akan-gaaru. It'll knock your socks off.

Wish me luck and rainbows at Anime Boston! I'll be wearing my Yunie, so I'll need all the luck I can get, what with that top. and the crazy fanboys. I'm afraid, mommy!

E.N.