Here is the final chapter for SE, I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you all enjoyed reading this fic. Sorry it took so long for me to post it, but my computer has taken it upon itself to bombard me with error messages and crash a) due to overheating, b)when I move the screen, c)because of registry problems, and d)when ever it feels like it. To those of you who have made this far: have some of the jell-o flan, a party hat, and take a turn at one of the party games.
Special thanks to Auron'sGhost, (A very talented writer. Read his fics if you don't believe me) who provided the wonderful Deathday gifts for Auron, and who was one of my very first reviewers. Thanks for all the technical support. You helped me get my fics up and running (or at least gamely limping along).
Title: Random Bits Special Chapter 3.
Setting: Yuna and her Guardians have a special surprise planned for a certain Legendary Guardian.
Besaid Island - Tidus' floating house - Wakka has cleaned himself up and its time for games and gifts.
Auron, slapping his lackeys on the shoulders and chuckling in amusement at Wakka, found that he was enjoying himself. He discovered that the party games were quite entertaining with Pin-the-Trunk-on-the-Shoopuff, secretly being his favorite. He loved how the laughter of the crowd turned into the terrified screams of a lot of people trying to avoid one disoriented person with a very sharp pin.
This is common phenomenon throughout the universe. Large crowds of people, upon finding themselves faced with Danger, turn as one and attempt to flee in the same direction at the same time. All moving at the same pace results in the people closest to the Danger (usually the more curious who were the first to stop and investigate) shoving or climbing the backs of those in front. This is also the reason that half the herd of various species of bovines dies during migration. If you fall down it just makes a path for those behind you.
While Yuna bandaged the multitude of stab wounds Tidus and Kimahri literally picked Auron up and carried him to his throne. (okay, so Kimahri did all the heavy lifting.)
Auron struggled and swore as he was stuffed into the Ronso's furry armpit (no, Ronsos don't wear deodorant) and then dropped into his chair.
He was not even given time to form a coherent thought before a square object was shoved into his hands. His brain finally grabbed his Thought Processes and slapped them awake. Auron found himself staring down at a shiny present. It was a small box wrapped in shiny black paper, and tied with a ribbon. He looked at his friends, who smiled encouragingly and urged him to open the gift.
Curiosity and Dread vied for control of the Legendary Guardian as Auron began to carefully peel back tape on the shiny wrapping. It was his first Deathday gift and he was determined to save as much memorabilia as possible. This is a common practice among the elderly (if you have an elderly relative you will know what I'm talking about). In some dark fusty closet they have stacks of moldering wrapping paper that hasn't seen the light of day for decades. They usually insist that they are saving it for future use...like lining their coffins with. And yes, they know the year, date, and gift each paper wrapped. In some cases they even know what friend or sibling it belonged to, because they are not above taking someone else's discarded paper.
"Just tear it already!" Rikku squealed, hopping up and down excitedly. Auron looked at her like she was insane. Tidus, seeing that Auron was determined to take all day about opening his gift, glanced around and waved to the Aurochs. Tidus, being sport oriented, was programmed for fast-paced action, and when forced to slow down to the normal humdrum of daily activities, became easily bored.
Thus he organized the Aurochs into a line behind Auron and led them in the chant: "Rip! Rip! Rip!" Auron took his time. Let them squirm!
Auron finally removed all of the wrapping paper, and with slightly unsteady hands, lifted the lid off the present. There in the depths of the gift box lay a small sphere, which seemed to be staring at him. Closer inspection revealed it to be a glass eye. Which was sitting next to a tube of some unknown substance upon which was printed "For the reduction of visible scars". Both items lay atop a white length of cloth: a sling.
Auron stared, having somehow lost his ability to speak. All of his senses had left their regular jobs and were crowded at the front of his brain for a better look. He looked at Tidus, who raised his hands and waved them defensively in front of him. It seemed like something the boy would have come up with.
"Don't look at me! I wanted to give you a pet cactuar."
"A fake eye, a sling, and a tube of scar reducer?" Auron said, utterly bemused.
"Yeah." Wakka interjected, looking to his friends for support. "Since you lost your other eye, we all decided to give you another one. Sure its fake, but at least you won't scare small girls anymore."
"And we got you a proper sling for your arm so you won't have to use your coat anymore." Rikku chirped shyly. Auron didn't bother to tell her that there was nothing wrong with his arm in the first place.
"Kimahri and Tidus give scar cream too, so face not look ugly." Kimahri rumbled.
Kimahri had been listening to Yuna and the girls talk about make up and concealers to hide blemishes and scars. He had learned quite a lot about humans since his job required him to follow Yuna around where ever she went. Although he had heard them say that he was handsome in a rugged, distinguished way, he would look a lot less scary without that scar. Kimahri could have cared less, but to him all humans were ugly and bright make up only made things worse.
"Um...thanks."
"Just kidding!" Tidus snickered, as Lulu set a small gift wrapped in white paper with a small Farplane flower as a bow down in front of him. After another slow unwrapping, the box revealed an old sphere. Yuna smiled at her Guardians as Auron leaned in to look at the sphere. After a moment he sat back with a soft chuckle.
"I had almost forgotten that sphere." He leaned forward for a second look. In the depths of the orb was a picture of himself, Jecht, and Braska standing beside the Shoopuff ferry. They looked more like tourists than three people out to destroy Sin, with big grins and Jecht giving the sphere a 'thumbs up'. Braska had put bunny ears on Auron.
"Thank you." He mumbled, meaning it this time.
The party wrapped up quickly from there. The guests all thanked Tidus for the party, and lined up to congratulate Auron, who submitted to having his picture taken with his fellow Guardians. Tidus was just finishing complaining about the picture (Auron had slapped him on the back of the head just as O'aka hit the button) when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to find the entire village crowed behind him, doing various versions of the Potty Dance.
He was unnerved by all the eyes watching him with intense desperation. He had the disconcerting feeling that things were about to get ugly. "Um, Yeah?"
" Can we use your bathroom?"
Tidus blinked, taken aback by the request. With perfect innocence he replied "Who said I had a bathroom?"
The End.
Okay, party's over! Please feel free to take the party favors lying around, if you can find then in the debris. Oh, and don't forget to leave a review. (Tidus really wants to know if you enjoyed the party!)