The next morning, Luna awoke to Derick sitting right next to her bed. He looked like he had been watching her for some time.
"How long have you been watching me?" Luna asked, sitting up.
"Um, I don't know. Good mornin', though." Derick said.
"Good morning." Luna said, getting up.
"Did you sleep well?"
"I guess so. I'm still sore from passing out."
"What! You passed out? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Well, it happned the last time, too. I'm thinking that when the Aeon joins you, your body does that so it can have time to adjust." Luna explained.
"Oh. Maybe. Well, if it's suppose to happen, I guess it's ok. Let's go catch the early ship." Derick suggested.
"Ok." Luna said, who was up and already heading for the door.
"This ship is going to be a little slower. I hope you don't mind a long ride." The crew member that met them said.
"That's fine." Derick said. Luna's attention was drwan by a boy on the ship. He looked about her age with a bright blonde shade of hair with broad shoulders and dark tan skin. He turned and looked straight at Luna. His eyes were a bright emrald green.
An Al Bhed, Luna thought as the boy walked up. Coming closer, the wasn't all that bad looking. He had a look of determination on his face as he stopped in front of her.
"Rammu." The boy said.
"What?" Derick asked, walking up behind Luna and putting his hands on her shoulders.
"Rammu." Luna said in return. She had learned Al Bhed at a young age, so she knew the language well.
"Oui ryja y knaah aoa. Oui yna Al Bhed?"
"E ys uh so sudran'c ceta." The boy squinted his eyes and then turned and left.
"You know Al Bhed?" Derick asked when the boy left.
"Yes. My father was teaching me. I was enjoying it when he left, so I continued."
"Did Yuna learn?"
"No. She didn't like it so she quit after daddy left."
"Oh. What was that about?" Derick asked.
"Well, he asked if I was Al Bhed becasue of my green eye, and I said that I was on my mother's side, and that's when he left. I hope he's not one to not believe in mixed races. I heard Measter Seymour was part human and part Guado." Luna said, trying to change the subject.
"Really? We'll have to make sure that boy doesn't try anything. Stay near me, ok?"
"Ok." Luna said, following Derick to one side of the ship to look out at the ocean. They had been standing there for about five minutes when Derick walked behind Luna and put his arms around her waist. She put her arms on his and leaned into him. She had never felt so safe in her life as she did in his arms.
After about another half hour, Luna walked out of Derick's arms, having to use the restroom.
"I'll be right back." She said, giving him a quick kiss. She went below deck, thinking about how lucky she was. Right before she reached the restroom door, the Al Bhed boy stopped her.
"You're nothing but a half-breed," the boy said in Al Bhed. Luna knew that no one else could understand, so she had to take care of it herself.
"So what if I am? What are you going to do about it?" Luna said, trying her best to not look scared.
"Are you a summoner?" The boy asked.
"Yes."
"You go against your religion?"
"I do not follow the Al Bhed religion."
"You should. You're Al Bhed, just like me."
"I am part Al Bhed. Just because I have Al Bhed in me doesn't mean that I have to follow that religion." Luna began to argue.
"But the Al Bhed religion is much safer. As an Al Bhed, you know this."
"This is what I choose."
"If you were to follow your Al Bhed roots, you could be dating me." The boy said, moving closer, Luna already up against the wall. "Maybe you still can." The boy said as he kissed her.