Hello everyone! Chapter 25 here right on schedule.

Tidus: And whose schedule would that be?

V: My own of course.

T: Meaning that, by your standards, every chapter you write is on time.

V: All of them except the ones that cause people to come to my door with torches and pitchforks because they're so late.

T: I see.

V: So how are you fairing?

T: Huh? What do you mean?

V: Well, because the last chapter was so late I thought that you would be hiding somewhere until it all blew over.

T: Oh, yeah. It turns out that the fans that have been going after me the most (you know who you are.) are taking anger management classes.

V: Oh wow... Never thought it would happen.

T: You know, you should join one of those classes too.

BONK!

V: And what's that supposed to mean?

T: Ow! Nothing. (rubs bump on head) Maybe you should continue on with the chapter.

V: Oh, yes. Let's begin chapter 25.

Chapter 25: Split Apart

"It's gaining. Yuna gasped as she looked over her shoulder to see the blob-like monster approaching fast.

"Just keep running." Tidus said as he urged her on. "The only way we're ever going to beat this thing is if we find the others."

The both of them ran as hard and as fast as they could but the fiend never relented.

"What's taken them so long?" Wakka whispered under his breath as he paced back and fourth.

"Calm down." Auron said, he stood at attention just a short distance away. There was nothing he wanted to do more then get out of these woods but he also knew that some things were more important then others. He would wait until the two came back on their own.

"What about Rikku and Zen?" Wakka asked as he stood in front of Auron. "Where do you think they coulda gone to?"

Auron shrugged his shoulders. "If you're so concerned about them, maybe you should go look for them."

"And split us up even more... no thank you. Then it would just take a lot more time to get us all back together."

"Do what you want." Auron said.

Wakka thought for a moment before looking over to Kimahri. He looked to be guarding the area along with Auron. "Hey Kimahri," he started as he walked over to the Ronso, "could ya go and find Rikku and Zen for me while I get the other two?"

Kimahri gave a slight nod before going on his way to find them.

"You won't go, but you'll send Kimahri?"

"Well, ya. Kimahri won't get lost as easily as me in these woods." The logic made sense to Wakka. Auron just nodded and looked away down another path. "I'm gonna get the two lovebirds before they get onto any trouble." Wakka said as he started walking away.

"It may me a little late for that." Auron said as he saw them running as fast as they could.

"Make way!" Tidus yelled out as he ran passed a startled Wakka. "It's right on our tails!"

"What's on your tails?" Wakka looked back and was able to dodge out of the way just in time to avoid being run into by the chasing fiend. The gelatinous monster seemed to have ignored him completely though and continued its chase after the Tidus and Yuna.

"I had a feeling that something like this would happen." Auron stated as he helped Wakka back onto his feet.

"And you didn't say anything about it before because...?" Wakka never got his answer though because Auron was already perusing the fiend. "Hey! Wait for me!"

"So... where's this thing you wanted to show me?" Zen asked as he wandered behind Rikku.

"Hmm," Rikku placed a hand up to her chin as she looked down both ways of the fork in the path. "This way." She said as she started down the left path. She stopped just a short ways down before retracing her steps. "No, maybe it was this way."

"Do you even know where you're going?" Zen asked as he followed her down the right fork.

"Yeah." Rikku said with full confidence. "Pretty sure."

"Are you actually taking me somewhere or are you really just leading me in circles?"

Rikku stopped in her tracks and turned around to face Zen. "Now what ever gave you that idea?"

"Because I made a mark on one of the trees a short whiles back, to help prevent us from getting completely lost, and we've already passed by it at least three times."

"Uh-oh. My plan failed." Rikku said to herself

"Why would you do something like this!" Zen cried out, border lining frustration and violence.

"I didn't have much of a choice, did I?" Rikku snapped back. "If I didn't distract you, then you would have just followed Tidus and Yunie."

"What's wrong with that? What is so important that you would drag me out here and get us lost?"

"Yunie has a special memory of him here." Rikku said as she sat down on the ground.

"Him? You mean Tidus?"

Rikku nodded. "This is a very special place for them. I think it would be best if they had some alone time here."

"Wait…This isn't making any sense." Zen said as he sat down next to her. "How could they have special memories here? As far as I know, Tidus has never been out of Zanarkand."

"It's a long and complicated story."

"Well, we have time now. Why don't you try to explain it to me."

"Gee, it's getting late." Rikku said, trying to change the subject. "We should really be getting back now." She stood back up and retraced her steps back to the mark Zen had made earlier. "Now where do we go from here?" She mumbled to herself.

"What was that?" Zen asked as he caught up to her.

"Nothing." She quickly replied. "Now follow me."

The two continued to wander down random pathways, hoping that they'd eventually find their way back to the rest of the group or at least find someone who could help them get back. All they came against though were small time fiends.

"This is starting to get frustrating." Rikku whined as yet another fiend disappeared in a cloud of pyreflies.

"Starting?" For Zen, the walk had gotten frustration ever since he learned that he had been led astray.

"I hope we find the others soon." Rikku said as she gathered up the gil on the ground that the defeated creature had left.

"You seem to making out fine." Zen said as she finished gathering her treasure.

"Well, how are we supposed to pay for supplies without gil?"

Zen shrugged. "How 'bout we hurry up and try to find the others?"

"Fine." Rikku said as she stuffed the gil into her pack and hurrying down the path. They soon came to another fork and Rikku rushed down one without even considering where the other would lead.

"Hey! Wait! Come back here!" Zen cried after her.

Rikku stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look back at the blitzball player. "What is it?"

"I think I hear voices this way." Zen explained pointing down the opposite path Rikku had chosen. "It could be the others."

"Really?" Rikkuran back over to Zen and rushed ahead of him.

"Hey! Wait up! You don't know where you're going!"

"Neither do you!" Rikku called back as she continued with her reckless pace.

As she ran the voices became louder and louder. She was getting closer. She could clearly hear Wakka's voice calling for Auron to wait for him. It seemed that only a wall of trees separated them. Well, if it was only a few trees then she would easily be able to get passed them.

"Hey! Come on Rikku slow down a little!" Zen called out as he rushed after her. He stopped when he saw her scurrying up through the branches of a tree. "Why me?" He said to himself as he started climbing up the tree after her.

As Rikku neared the top she could clearly see both Wakka and Auron quickly approaching. "Hey guys!" She called down while waving her arms above her head. When she saw that she had their attention, she jumped from the tree. "Catch me!" She yelled down to them.

Auron stopped his chase and caught the Al Bhed in his arms.

"My hero." She said in a mock swooning voice as she wrapped her arms around Auron's neck.

"What in the world were you thinkin?" Wakka said as he finally caught up to them. "You coulda killed yourself."

"Yeah, but I didn't, did I?" Rikku cut in.

"You two can talk about this later." Auron interrupted. "We have more important matters right now."

"Aw, give me a break." Zen whined from his view at the top of the tree as he saw the three running away. "How am I going to catch up to them now?"

V: Muahahaha! I love torturing a character like this.

T: Gee, you don't just need anger management. You also need a psychiatrist.

V: There's nothing wrong with me! It's not like I did anything really bad to Zen. I could have done anything to him but I decided against doing anything too evil.

T: Alright, alright. I'm just glad you're finally doing this sort of thing to another character. It used to always be me.

V: Yeah, I got tired of messing with you. I figured that there are plenty of other people who would be willing to do that. Present fans included.

T: What are you doing? Sending out invitations for someone to get me?

V: Don't be silly. No matter what a person does to you, you'll always turn out alright in the end.

T: Sigh. The perks of being a video-game character.

V: That's right. Well, the next chapter will definitely have the battle with the Amorphous Gel. So nobody get cranky because I haven't concluded the battle yet.

T: Don't Worry. It's not like they're not used to waiting for you.

V: Hush!

T: I mean, when almost every chapter is late-

V: (Clamps hand over Tidus's mouth) Next Chapter will come out soon! Good-bye for now.

End Transmission