DISCLAIMER: So...tired...of typing these...I don't own Final Fantasy X, etc etc. Also, "rock the kazbah" (or however you spell it) is the title of a song by the Clash. Not sure if that merits a disclaimer, but just in case...

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Lulu groaned when she looked at the clock. Her alarm had failed her. It was nearly ten; they would arrive at Besaid in half an hour. Lulu hastily dressed and did some basic grooming. Rikku was no doubt still sleeping; she, like most of her age group, could stay up into the wee hours of the morning and sleep late into the afternoon unless acted upon by an outside force. Lulu expected Seymour was more of a morning person, but she doubted that he would get ready swiftly, considering their destination. Lulu supposed she could drag them off the ferry in their pajamas if need be.

She walked next door to Rikku's room and knocked. "Rikku?" There was no answer. Lulu took out the spare keys she had for Rikku and Seymour's rooms and unlocked Rikku's door.

"Rikku?" The Al Bhed girl was nowhere to be found. More than that, Lulu saw that her bed had not been slept in, and her pajamas still lay neatly folded on a chair. Confused, Lulu continued to Seymour's room. She reached to knock and found that the door was slightly ajar. Lulu opened it a crack and peered inside. She gasped.

Rikku lay next to Seymour on the twin-sized bed, curled up lovingly in the half-Guado's arms. Both were still asleep. Lulu slammed the door open. They awoke with a start.

"What is going on here?" she demanded. "Rikku! Tell me you didn't—"

"Of course I didn't!" Rikku flung back the covers to reveal that she still wore her orange tank top. "See? We're both wearing clothes."

"Then you had better have a good explanation for waking up in his bed," Lulu said testily, although she had to admit that it was unlikely they would put their clothes back on afterward if they had done something.

"I do." Rikku put her hand on Seymour's shoulder. "I love him."

Lulu blinked at her for a moment. Then she glared at Seymour. "You. Seducing a young girl—even you should be ashamed!"

"He didn't seduce me!" Rikku protested. "How could he? It's Seymour! No offense," she added, seeing Seymour's slightly insulted look.

Lulu eyed Rikku dubiously. "You love him," she repeated.

Rikku stuck out her chin defiantly. "I do."

Lulu turned to Seymour. "And I suppose that you claim to love her."

Seymour nodded. "I do love her."

Lulu sighed. "Get dressed," she said, biting back the urge to yell at one or both of them. "We'll be in Besaid in less than half an hour." She shut the door behind her.

Rikku scowled. "Y'know, I'm half tempted to do it right here and now, just to give her something to talk about."

"That isn't a good reason," said Seymour. "And we only have half an hour. She would walk in on us."

"Serve her right," Rikku grumbled. She flopped back onto the pillow and pulled the sheets over her head. "I don't want to get up. It's icky out there. It's nice in here. Let's just stay here."

"Forever?" Seymour asked.

"Yeah, why not? We could make a living working as swabbies or cabin boys or whatever it is people do on ships. Or we could stage a hostile takeover of the ferry and be the captains.

"Hostile takeovers are enjoyable," Seymour mused. "You really must try one sometime." He pulled the covers back from Rikku's face and kissed her forehead. "But not now."

She sat up and leaned against his shoulder. "They're going to hate me. They already hate you."

"You are most likely right about me," he said. "If they did not, I would be shocked. But I do not think they will hate you. They will just be worried about you, as Lulu seems to be, because they care for you."

"You sound like an After School Special."

"A what?"

"Never mind," she said. "Geez. If she's worried, why can't she do it less judgmentally?"

"I don't know," said Seymour. "I am no expert on the inner workings of humans."

Rikku sighed. "Well, fun as it would be for you to greet everyone in your undies, you probably ought to get dressed before we leave."

"True." Seymour reluctantly got out of bed and donned his red shirt. He then began the process of putting on his pants. "I will need five minutes just to get into these."

Rikku pulled on her slightly damp shoes and socks. "Yeah, but they're worth the effort. Your butt looks really good in them."

"Really?" Seymour moved in front of the mirror so he could see. "How does one tell if someone has an attractive posterior?"

"I dunno. It's personal taste, I guess. You can just tell." She grinned. "And yours is very nice." She reached out and pinched it.

Seymour jumped a mile. "Rikku!" He blushed

Rikku giggled and put her arms around him. "You're gonna have to get used to it." She reached up and traced the blue designs on his forehead—whose origins they had never decided upon—with her finger.

Seymour smoothed a stray lock of blond hair back from her face. "I suppose I shall."

They kissed, and although there was no water, starlight, or music this time, it was still heavenly. It was also very long-lasting, for Lulu walked in on them.

"Hi, Lulu!" Rikku greeted her, her voice muffled because she was speaking out of the corner of her mouth.

"I think this is our cue to stop," Seymour said, though he still hadn't broken the kiss.

"Yes, please do," said Lulu, her visible eye twitching slightly. "We've arrived."

They separated, but Rikku reached for Seymour's hand as they followed Lulu onto the deck. He took it. Lulu noticed, but said nothing.

The remaining members of Yuna's party, minus Wakka, were there to meet them at the dock. Auron looked a bit more mellow than when they had last seen him, but one couldn't really tell with Auron whether he was mellow or not. Kimahri stood imposingly as always. Yuna smiled and waved at them. She was still very pretty, but Seymour no longer felt quite the same feeling he once had when he looked at her. His feelings toward Tidus, however, had not changed. The blond boy waved stupidly and called out to them, and Seymour felt the same old intense irritation coupled with the same old desire to murder Tidus on the spot.

Yuna ran up to greet them. "Lulu, Rikku, hello! I've missed you both." She hugged both women warmly, but drew back coldly from Seymour. Understandable, he reasoned, considering that he had tried forcing her to marry him and help him destroy Spira.

Tidus scampered up after her. "Hey, Lulu! Hey, Rikku!" He looked at Seymour and scratched his head. "Wow, Seymour, you sure look different. You don't look like a nightmare hat rack anymore!"

Seymour glanced at Rikku. "Would you be terribly upset if I killed him?" he asked so only she would hear.

"Sorry, you can't," she whispered back. "Yunie really likes him."

Tidus looked around in confusion. "Hey, where's Wakka?"

"We accidentally left him in Luca," Lulu said. "But we have more pressing things to worry about."

Seymour heard Rikku gulp. He took her hand again and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Of course, the sending," said Yuna. "I have my staff with me. We just need to move to a bigger area than the dock."

Lulu shook her head. "Unfortunately, there is something more than that."

A look of concern crossed Yuna's face. "What is it?"

"These two," Lulu gestured at Rikku and Seymour, "profess to have feelings for each other."

Yuna gasped. Tidus made an odd squawking sound. The unflappable Kimahri's eyes widened to the size of plates. Auron dropped his sword.

"How do you know?" Yuna asked, trying to regain her composure.

"I found them together this morning. They told me that they love each other."

Auron picked up his sword, uncorked his jug of sake, and took a very long drink.

"Found them together?" Tidus' eyes widened to rival Kimahri's. "Holy crap!" He looked from Rikku to Seymour. "So you guys got it on?"

"No!" they both snapped.

"Why does everyone think I'm a skank?" Rikku complained.

"I believe they are telling the truth," said Lulu. "They were fully clothed when I found them, save for his shirt and her socks and shoes."

"So you two are now in love." Auron eyed Seymour through his sunglasses. "You—a Guado and a maester of Yevon—love an Al Bhed."

"Yes." Seymour could not hold back some antagonism. "The irony does not escape me."

Auron ignored Seymour's sarcasm and turned to Rikku. "And you love an unsent who destroyed your race's Home and has shown that he thinks nothing of murder or treachery."

"Yes." Rikku stepped protectively in front of Seymour. "And I won't let you send him."

"You are being foolish." He looked at Seymour. "And you are either lower than I thought, or are suffering from the worst case of Stockholm syndrome I've ever seen."

Seymour felt his anger rising, and for Rikku's sake was glad he still wore Calhoun. "Do you think I am lying?"

"Yes."

"And what, pray tell, would I have to gain by it?"

"An extension of your life," Auron growled, "if you can call it that."

Seymour laughed bitterly. "Fine talk coming from you, Sir Auron."

"Seymour, please stop!" Rikku tugged on his arm. "This isn't exactly helping." He made himself calm down, but still cast a dark look at Auron.

"I think," Yuna finally spoke up, looking troubled and confused, "that we should walk to the village. We can decide things there. Rikku, I would like for you to walk with me. Alone."

Rikku reluctantly let go of Seymour's hand. "Yes, Yunie."

They set off down the path to Besaid village. Yuna and Rikku led the way. Lulu walked a ways behind them with Auron. Seymour could not hear what either pair was saying.

Tidus fell into step next to him. "So," Tidus said brightly.

"So what?" Seymour asked, mustering as much disdain as possible.

"What's it like kissing Rikku?"

"Excuse me?"

"What's it like kissing Rikku?" he repeated. "I mean, does she kiss like Yuna?"

"Do you posses one iota of tact?" Seymour asked with disgust. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "No. It isn't like kissing Yuna at all."

Tidus nodded. "Just wondering." He paused for a moment. "So... did you rock the kazbah?"

"What?"

"You know..." Tidus grinned suggestively.

It took every fiber of self-control in Seymour's body to keep him from punching the blond boy into oblivion. Instead he said in a civil tone, "Tell me, Tidus. Does the thought of me in bed with Rikku appeal to you somehow?"

"Umm...not really," said Tidus. "Actually, it creeps me out. I was just curious."

Seymour suddenly knew how he could inflict harm on Tidus. "So," he continued, suppressing a wicked grin, "it troubles you to think of Rikku and me caught in the throes of carnal passion—"

Tidus blanched a little.

"—writhing and twisting in the sheets—"

Tidus looked ill.

"—panting for breath as our sweaty, naked bodies—"

"STOP IT!" Tidus shrieked, covering his eyes. "You're making my brain burn! Unclean! Unclean!" He ran a safe distance away.

So this is why Rikku does this so often, Seymour thought as he watched Tidus twitch and gag ahead of him. It's immensely satisfying.

Kimahri chuckled quietly behind him. "Kimahri not like Maester Seymour, but Kimahri thank anyone who make Tidus-boy twitchy. Hard thing to do. Usually Tidus-boy make Kimahri and others twitchy."

Seymour was glad to have made the Ronso laugh. He didn't particularly like Kimahri, but he admired his dedication as a guardian. Also, Kimahri had been the only one to not say anything about his relationship with Rikku. "I hope that I did not give you unpleasant mental images as well."

"No," said Kimahri. "Ronsos strong in mind and body. Have brain guard to keep bad pictures out of head. Very useful."

"I imagine it would be," Seymour replied, for now his own head swam with the same images he had given Tidus; and while they weren't exactly unpleasant, they were a bit embarrassing.

He'd managed to purge himself of the worst of them by the time they reached Besaid's village. Yuna entered a tent with Rikku and beckoned Lulu to join them. They disappeared for ten agonizingly slow minutes, which Seymour spent staring at the ground while Auron, Kimahri, and Tidus (with the occasional twitch) silently scrutinized him.

Finally Rikku emerged from the tent and ran to Seymour.

"Rikku!" Yuna called sharply from the tent's doorway. "Don't say anything to him." Rikku obediently remained silent, but she took Seymour's hand. "Seymour, come here." Rikku clung to Seymour tightly, her hand still small and delicate compared to his own. Yuna sighed. "Rikku, please. I'm not going to send him now. I just want to talk to him."

Rikku released him, but not before giving him a peck on the cheek that made Tidus squawk. Seymour looked into her eyes, trying to figure out what it was that awaited him, but found nothing other than an encouraging smile. That was enough for him, he decided. He followed Yuna into the tent.

"Sit." Seymour did as the young summoner bade him and sat on a nearby cushion. He saw Lulu seated in the corner. Yuna remained standing.

"Rikku loves you," she told him. "Do you also love her?"

"Yes," Seymour said.

"I too love Rikku, as a friend and a family member. Everyone here loves her." Yuna glared at him. "And if we find out that you are lying to us about this, I swear by everything I know that you will beg for a sending before we are through with you."

Seymour hadn't suspected that Yuna could be so frightening. "I understand."

"Good." Yuna sat on a cushion a few feet away from Seymour, laying her staff across her knees. "Now, then. When did you first become aware of your feelings for Rikku?"

"Last night."

"Only last night? That seems abrupt."

"I was not expecting it, believe me." Seymour described what had happened the night before, up through Rikku retrieving him from the ocean.

"Then what happened?" Yuna asked.

"We noticed that our clothes were soaked, and Rikku offered to dry my robe. I said something—some joke—about waterlogged pyreflies. Rikku reacted strangely and wouldn't let me see her face. She asked why I had come back. I told her the truth—I had no time to think of a lie. Then she sounded as though she was angry with me. She said I was stupid. Finally she turned so I could see her face, and I saw that she was crying. She embraced me..." Seymour stopped. "Have you ever seen her cry?"

Yuna nodded. "Yes."

"It was the saddest thing I have ever encountered." His mind drifted. "Rikku is so light and joyful. It is wrong for her to weep. A crime. Nothing should make her shed tears. And here I had caused her to... I tried to comfort her. I told her not to cry. I must have started crying myself, because then she told me not to cry." He smiled slightly at the memory. "I apologized, and she told me not to do that, either. She kissed my cheek. Then I kissed her. We kissed."

"How was the kiss?" Yuna asked.

"Ironically, your twit of a boyfriend asked me the same question. It was wondrous." He frowned. "It was a bit unusual, though."

"Unusual how?" Yuna asked evenly, but her hands clenched her staff more tightly.

"The kiss itself was not unusual; it was what seemed to be occurring simultaneously that was confusing," Seymour said. "I felt as though we were twirling—which is not strange in and of itself, because I do not believe I am ever fully on earth when we kiss—but there also were stars and water all around us. There was also this music that seemed to correspond with our actions." He paused. "Now that I think of it, I first noticed the music a bit earlier, when she was crying."

"Describe the music."

"Orchestral," said Seymour. "Strings and woodwinds predominantly, and a piano at the quieter sections. The intensity varied. There was also a voice."

"How did the voice sound?" Yuna asked, glancing at Lulu.

Seymour thought about it. "High-pitched. Female. Quite frankly, it was more than a little nasal. She lacked breath support on the higher notes. I was not overly concerned with it at the time. My mind was on more important matters. I can still remember the tune, though."

"Sing it," Yuna ordered him, her voice now shaking.

"All right." Seymour awkwardly sang what he could remember of the song. Surprisingly, he knew every word.

Yuna gasped. "Dear Yevon... the Montage!"

Seymour politely resisted the temptation to remind Yuna that she had forsaken Yevon. "What montage?"

"It is a phenomenon powered by the magical energy that resides within Macalania Woods," Lulu explained. "However, the Macalania Montage, as it is known, can occur anywhere on Spira when two people who truly love each other kiss for the first time."

"Lulu went through the Montage with Chappu," said Yuna. "I went through it with Tidus. And you—you seem to have gone through it with Rikku. You both knew the song perfectly. Not even you could fake that."

"Why not?" Seymour asked. "I am curious. Is this song not written down anywhere?"

"It is," said Lulu. "But had you only read the music or heard it secondhand, without having experienced the Montage yourself, you would be unable to repeat the song."

"Why?"

Lulu rolled her eyes. "Some romantic magic, I assume. I know it sounds ridiculous, but keep in mind that the idea of a magical true lovers' montage is ridiculous in and of itself." She shook her head ruefully. "You and Rikku. If someone had told me that a week ago—or even a day ago—I would have advised them to sniff some Musk."

Yuna stood and met Seymour's eyes with her own green and blue. "I do not like you," she told him. "I do not trust you, either. I will admit that. However..." She bowed. "If you and Rikku love each other, then I will give you a chance."

Seymour stood and bowed back, hardly believing his ears. "Thank you, Lady Yuna."

"Come." Yuna beckoned Seymour and Lulu to follow. "We must tell the others."

They stepped outside. Rikku anxiously raced up to Yuna. "You're not going to send him, are you?"

"No." She addressed the group. "Lulu and I have determined that Seymour is telling the truth. He loves Rikku. She loves him. Therefor, Seymour will not be sent so long as he behaves."

"And how are we going to insure that he does?" Auron asked, still watching Seymour with misgiving. "Is he going to keep Calhoun on him?"

"For awhile at least, yes," Lulu said. "Until we are confident that he will not return to his old ways."

Auron raised his eyebrows. "He's agreeing to this?"

"As I told her last night, I will never harm her," Seymour said. "The rest of you are another matter entirely. However, as she would be unhappy if I injured one of you, I will keep Calhoun as a precaution."

"Are we all done talking?" asked Rikku. "I want to hug him."

A grin played around Yuna's lips. "Go ahead."

With a happy cry, Rikku vaulted into Seymour's arms. He laughed and held her tightly, not wanting to let her go. They kissed passionately. Behind them, they heard Auron uncork his sake jug.

"Ewwww..." Tidus made a face. "It looks so weird. I mean, he's dead."

Rikku broke the kiss to scowl at him. "Deal with it, Tidus! You'll be seeing a lot more of it!"

"But he is right," Seymour said. "I am dead. What are we going to--"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Rikku said impatiently. "We already tackled one issue today. Leave that one for later."

Seymour was quite happy to obey. "All right." He gently kissed her on the top of the head. "I love you."

Rikku smiled up at him. "I love you, too."

Kimahri looked at Yuna. "So Maester Seymour come with us now?"

"Yes," Yuna replied. "They do still need to get to know each other, after all."

"That's true," said Rikku. "Seymour, what's your favorite color? Mine's kelly green."

"Indigo," he said. "What is your favorite pastry?"

"Chocolate eclairs, definitely. Yours?"

"I would have to say cream puffs," said Seymour. "I supposed this is a good start on getting to know each other."

"Yeah," Rikku agreed. "And we've got all sorts of time to finish!"

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(A/N) This concludes the Romantic Ending of the story. I hope it wasn't too corny. But remember: that whole "twirling around in the water with music" thing was in the game originally, so that, at least, wasn't my idea. If you like the idea of Seymour and Rikku in love, then you may want to avoid the two upcoming Alternate Endings, as they will be devoid of romance.

Yay again to readers, especially reviewers! Do I really make Seymour and Rikku a plausible couple? I feel so proud of myself! And I technically stayed within a PG rating and everything! Huah!