A Date With Destiny
Chapter Three:
-Hi again! I am really sorry for the delay! I haven't updated for months I know. But the truth is I have been so busy with school and friends and meh, I promise to make it up to you. Heres the next chapter.
Cautiously opening her eyes, so as not to damage the precious eyelids that covered them, Rikku groaned and groggily sat up. Coughing sea water out of her lungs and feeling the vile tang of sea salt melt against her tongue made her screw her mouth up in disgust. Looking around at her surroundings she found that she was lying just abroad the lip of the shore, where the land met the sea. Vast old pieces of decayed rubble littered the cliffs opposite the shore indicating that she was in the vicinity of Besaid island.
Same place as Tidus she thought eerily, thinking of how only a month before her cousins beloved had been found on these very shores, only to find his true love waiting for him here. Rikku shook her mind mentally free of the thought. Yeah, as if I have a true love or something like that. No one will ever like me like that anyway. Groggily standing up onto her own two feet, she was pleased to find all of her bones and muscles in full working order, just a little tired. Nothing a little grub and a good night's sleep couldn't handle. Hey, maybe Lulu would have a place for her to spend the night. Or if that failed Yuna might be able to lend her a spare cot for the evening.
Walking on shaking legs, Rikku started towards Besaid village in the hope of some TLC…
The journey took a little longer than she had hoped for, as she was in no fit state to fight fiends, Rikku had to continually dodge and evade fiends on the prowl for fresh blood with which to digest. After what seemed to her like a era, Rikku finally arrived at the familiar gates of Besaid village. The usual sight of happy villagers going about there village greeted her and the bark of the same dog that had previously stolen their COM-Sphere made her chuckle. Looking around and judging the distance she quickly decided to head to Lulu's first as it was the shortest distance away.
Limping slightly due to a particular nasty wound from a coyote that took a while to shake off her trail, Rikku finally reached the rough fabric of the hut covering of Lulu and Wakka's house. "Hello? Anybody home?" Rikku called out loud. An intake of breath and the scuffle of feet answered her question. The cloth door flung back and a surprised Wakka greeted her sight. Hmmm, he hasn't changed a bit.
"Rikku! Your okay?" His reaction surprised her. Just how many people know about what happened on top of the Celsius? He stepped back and gestured inside "Come in. Lulu will make you something to eat ya?" Rikku smiled and nodded her thanks.
After another relieved greeting from Lulu, Rikku sat on a spare cot hungrily digesting a bowl of hot, steamy tomato soup. Lulu sat on the settee opposite cradling Vidina while Wakka was out training with the Aurochs.
"I am relieved to find you are alright Rikku." Lulu spoke in her soft, emotionless tone. Rikku looked up from her bowl and swallowed a mouthful of vegetables before saying. "So, Lulu. Erm… how'd ya know what happened to me back on the Celsius?"
Lulu chuckled and smiled before saying "After you had fallen off of the airship, your navigator radioed Yuna's COM-Sphere, saying that Rikku had just fought an exhausting battle and had fallen over board into the sea below. Naturally Yuna told everyone and so Wakka and I have been worrying over your safety."
"So, where's Yuna now? Still cooing with lover boy in her tent?" Rikku asked snidely, feeling a little bit disappointed that her cousin hadn't come over to check she was okay. As if Lulu could read her thoughts she replied "Yuna would be here right now, if she wasn't out aboard Cid's airship scouring the land with Tidus looking for you." Rikku grimaced in embarrassment. Lulu always had such a plain way of putting things that she now knew how Tidus must have felt two years ago. Back when Tidus had first arrived in Spira and he hadn't knew anything about this strange new world except that the girl who he secretly loved lived in it…
After quietly finishing her soup in silence and brooding on her thoughts Rikku stood up and fastened on her shoes Rikku turned to Lulu and plainly said, " I am going to the Chamber of the Fayth, I need to clear my head on a few things. I may be a while." She expected some argument or concern over her condition, but the black mage merely nodded her head at Rikku's decision and went back to Vidina. I still haven't gotten used to her… Maybe I never will. Walking out of the hut and starting towards the temple, Rikku reflected over her past actions, realising the snooty tone she had taken. Why was I like that? Yuna hasn't done anything wrong at all! After all she has been through these past two years; the least she deserves is some time alone with Tidus. But she hasn't. All because of me she is off worrying over me again!
"Ahhh! Lady Rikku! It is an honour my lady to receive such company at our humble temple!" Breaking her ballad, Rikku looked up to see the Besaid priest performing the traditional Yevonite bow at the sacred temple's door. "Please. Is the Chamber of the Fayth in use? Only I need some time alone…" She asked in her sweetest voice and batting her eye-lids. No living man could win against that look and she knew it. The priest blushed and smiled. "Err. No, no! Public access to the chamber is forbidden but a summoner or guardian like yourself is always welcome." Rikku merely nodded and sauntered past the priest and up the grand staircase.
The lift touched the ground with a slight thump. Jumping off and sprinting ahead, Rikku was already half-way through the room before she noticed something was wrong. "Huh?" Stopping still she listened, and there, clear as crystal was the hymn of the fayth. The fayth had supposedly all descended to the far-plane when Yuna had defeated Sin two years ago, but here they were singing? "He he" She laughed nervously before pelting full throttle to the door to the Chamber of the Fayth.
The aged door groaned open and Rikku slammed them behind her. That was too weird. Maybe I've had a little too much excitement today. Sighing she wandered over to the hole that YRP had investigated a few weeks before. Hmmm, still the same big gorge as before. Someone really needs to seal this up. Reaching one of those old chests that she had encountered so much over the last two years, Rikku jumped up and shuffled herself into a comfy position before reaching for her COM-Sphere. I really should phone Yuna and tell her I'm okay…
Yuna sighed and readjusted her half-gunner skirt for what must have been the hundredth time. Tidus noticed this and smiled, walking over to hold her hand. "Yuna. She'll be fine. Okay? Nothing to worry about." Yuna didn't look up to meet his gaze and continued to stare at the hem of her skirt. "How can you say that? How can you be so sure?" Tidus reached out and cupped her chin in his palm bringing her bi-coloured eyes to his aqua blue. "Hey, she's my best friend remember? Call it a… intuition. I've known Rikku the longest out of any of you guys here. She saved my life back in the Baaj ruins. I just… know. Like, you know when I disappeared two years ago…?" Yuna winced at this, slight tears brewing in her eyes. " … You know how you never gave up hope of looking for me? Did you have this tiny feeling in you somewhere, saying that I wasn't really gone?"
Yuna nodded silently at this and Tidus smiled "Well, that's what's it's like for me now. With Rikku being my best friend I just know…y'know?" Yuna blinked back tears and threw her arms around him, burying herself into the soft fabric of his t-shirt. "She is alive, isn't she Tidus? I know she is…"
Come on, pick up! "Yuna! I'm sooo sorry!" I practically screamed down the micro-phone as the watery picture of my cousin filled the screen. Yuna gasped in shock and then let out a relieved sigh "Rikku! You're alright! Thank Ixion… Are you okay? Where are you? Have you got any wounds? Are you safe…?" This really hit home if y'know what I'm saying. Yuna was genuinely concerned for me! All of my worries had melted away right then.
"I'm fine. I'm in the Chamber of the Fayth at Besaid. My legs are just a little scarred but I am pretty safe! I am soooo sorry for worrying you!"
Yuna smiled and shook her head "Don't be! It's only natural for family to worry about each other after all." She smiled warmly at me and I couldn't help but grin right back. That's the thing about Yuna. Her smile is contagious. Wherever we go in Spira, she always brings happiness to the people of Spira. Whether it be saving the world as a Summoner, or helping set up a Chocobo ranch as a friend, she always brought joy and light to the peoples of Spira. Ahh! Now I'm even sounding like her at one of her famous speeches.
At the edge of the spheres range of vision, what looked like a black gloved hand was grasping Yuna's elbow tightly in its grip. "Howdie Tidus! How ya been huh?" Someone smirked and Yuna tilted the COM-Sphere to show a young, blonde teenage boy with his arm linked through Yuna's.
"Hey Rikku! I knew you were okay! See Yuna! I told ya she would be alright!" My cousin blushed a little as she smiled back at Tidus shyly. Did I mention that when Yunie is around Tidus, she reminds me so much of the seventeen year old summoner who I had guarded with my life two years ago. She may of changed her attitude and attire on the outside to the public. But she would always be the same old, shy Yuna to those closest to her. This got me to thinking. Am I like that? Will I always remain the same happy go lucky, naïve Rikku to those who know me best? I dunno, but I know that apart from my family, friends and people who I was with on the pilgrimage they are the only people I am really close to. I haven't got a boyfriend or lover like Yuna. So I don't really know.
I'm going off track now! Back to my darling cousin and lover aboard a magnificent flying machine. Well, the Celsius is way more magnificent but…
"Yuna! You have sooooo little faith in me!" I joked causing her to blush even more. "So what you… huh?"
The COM-Sphere picture of Yuna began to deteriate before finally turning static. Rikku could still hear her cousin's now frantic voice talking hurriedly to her, but it was impossible to decipher the speech. "Come on you useless piece of junk! Work!" Rikku screamed in frustration through gritted teeth. In frustration, the Al-Bhed took to bashing the machina on top of an old chest that she was sitting upon.
The COM-Sphere cracked, the chest flew open, and Rikku was flung flat on her butt a few meters away from the hole to the Far-Plane. "Owie! You stupid, stupid chest you…" She muttered angrily under her breath, crawling back to the wooden box and half-heartedly peering into its murky insides. She was quick to change her attitude however as soon as she saw what lay inside. "A sphere! Score!"
The sphere resembled the basic shape of other spheres but some features of it were unique. It's colour for instance, while other spheres inhabited fiery reds and oranges as there colouring, this sphere was filled up with a silver and red mixture. It also felt much lighter than other spheres, although it was approximately the same size and weight. Gasping in delight, Rikku reached in and carefully grasped the fragile glass orb. Bringing it up to her face, Rikku narrowed her eyebrows in shock at what she saw.