A/n at the end, if I say it now it would give it all away.
Disclaimer: Right, whatever.
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Cloaked figures surrounded the grounds late one night. It was a quiet night, not even the sounds of the city could be heard. It was enough to make him uncomfortable, but the sooner this was done the better. He had to get Rikku out of that man's grasp quickly.
Signaling to the other men with him, the figure pointed to an open window. It was on the second floor of the building and behind a stone wall. But he was persistent. They would find a way in somehow. "Ku." He whispered fiercely. (Go.)
Two man began climbing the wall as he looked on. When they reached the top, they threw down a rope for him to climb. Making sure the item in his pocket was secure, he grabbed on and began the climb. The three of them jumped down the other side landing in the soft grass below. Now that the easy part was done, they had to worry about being caught before they could reach the window.
The figure glanced at the men. "Oui eteud. Kad uid uv dra vmufan pat. Oui fyhd dras du ghuf fa fana rana?" (You idiot. Get out of the flower bed. You want them to know we were here?) He sighed before moving on.
"Seymour ryc sujat uh. Cra ec ymuha huf, cen." One of them spoke up after listening to a transmitter in his ear. (Seymour has moved on. She is alone now, sir.)
The man nodded as he noticed the light going off at the window. It was now or never. Carefully, he began to climb the trellis. When he reached the top, he gently opened the window and slid in as the others waited on the ground to keep watch for any guards.
Riana sat upright in bed at the soft footfalls of someone entering her room. She turned the light on quickly. "Who's there?" She questioned. In front of her window stood a cloaked figure. His face shrouded in darkness.
"Rikku. That is you, is it not?" The voice asked.
"Rikku is gone. Who are you? What are you doing in my room?" She pulled a dagger from under her pillow and held it out in front of her.
Very slowly so as not to startle her, the man reached up and removed his hood.
--
Auron packed his bags quickly. He had to get to Bevelle quickly before something happened. The boat was due to leave within the hour and he would be sure to be on it. Clothing and other nessesities were thrown in with no semblance of order. If memory served him correctly, then the person he saw on the sphere yesterday was an Al Bhed.
If he was lucky, he would be able to get out of town before anyone even noticed he was gone. Closing the zipper, he picked up the bag and headed out. All was going well until he reached the edge of the village. There stood five figures staring at him, all with angry looks.
"Just where do you think you are going man?" Tidus asked for them all.
"This is nothing that concerns you. I would advise you to stay out of it for your own safety." Auron answered.
"You are going to Bevelle aren't you?" Yuna asked in her soft spoken manner.
"Ya, we want to help save Riana too you know." Wakka added.
Auron looked around at the group. They all appeared quite determined. "And if I say no?"
"Then we go anyway!" Tidus answered.
"Kimahri think Auron might need help. We go with you to help."
Auron shook his head at his friend. The ronso's words were true. If he were to run into trouble while in the city, he would never be able to get Rikku out.
"Very well. Gather your things together." He consented. Not as if he would be able to stop them. "You have only until the boat leaves." He warned as they ran off. Moments later they returned all holding a bag of their own. (Or in the case of Lulu and Wakka, he carried two while she had only a small carry bag.)
"You were prepared." Auron noted.
"Lulu told us you would try something like this."Yuna replied. "We didn't want you leaving without us."
Auron turned his attention to the mage. She gave him a small knowing smile before moving past him.
"Well, shall we?" She asked in order to get them moving. "They won't wait for us forever."
Auron took the lead as they moved toward the beach and eventually the dock. He held one hand close to his katana in case he were to need it on the fiends that greeted them on the road. As it was, Lulu walked next to him and cast a quick thunder spell on any that dared get in the way.
She tried several times to get him to open up. Granted he was always a closed man, there were times when he would open up and allow someone in. Mostly that was Riana, but perhaps he would let it be another woman. She stopped and moved back to walk with her husband after the third attempt. Even his scarred eye began to narrow at her intrusions. Perhaps it would be best to just get to Bevelle quickly and find Riana.
The ride to the city would take several days. Five to be exact. They paired of in groups to sleep. Kimahri being the only one brave enough to pair with the distant man. As a whole they found it better to leave him alone and wait for him to speak.
On the forth night it was Yuna who found him sitting on the upper deck by himself. Sitting on the wooden deck next to him was a bottle of sake. Inwardly she groaned hoping that she hadn't found him wasted. Stepping closer Yuna was able to hear him talking to himself.
"I'm so sorry for hurting you Rikku. I promise I will make this right. I promise on my sword I will save you from his grip." He lifted the flask to his lips and took a long swallow.
Feeling as if she was intruding, Yuna tried to leave silently. Auron's voice calling her name stopped her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here."
"No, it is fine." He replied without emotion. Truth was he really did need some companionship even if he did not show it.
Carefully Yuna came closer and sat next to him. She did not sit so close to be intrusive, but far enough to be heard. "Auron, I've been wanting to ask some questions for some time now."
He turned his head slightly to acknowledge her, but said nothing to stop her. Taking this as permission, Yuna continued.
"I know Rikku is my cousin. I saw it written by your hand. But what I don't understand is why you had taken care of her for all these years. What happened to Uncle Cid and aunt Mariam? And what about the rest of her family?"
Auron took another sip of sake and cleared his throat before speaking. "Many years ago Al Bhed and the rest of Spira lived in peace. That peace was shattered overnight. Many people have come up with reasons why this may have happened. To tell the truth, no one knows for sure. But they all agree on one thing, it happened days after the death of Jyscal Guado. Perhaps that is the reason, or perhaps not.
"I have looked deep into this for many years. All without telling Rikku what I have been doing. I told myself it was not in her best interest to know. She should have been able to grow up and marry free from matters such as these.
"Her home was attacked when she was only a small child. Cid asked me to take her far away from there, to protect her. I was still just a child myself, I did not know what to do with her. Through trial and error we were able to learn from each other. The woman of the village helped me as needs arose. In turn, I helped them as fiends attacked. It was a mutual benefit." After such a long explanation, Auron stopped and took another sip of his alcohol.
Yuna waited until he stopped before interrupting. "But what about Seymour? Why were you so against him before meeting him in the village?"
"I prefer not to discuss that now." He glanced up to the stars overhead. "It is getting late. You should head on in."
"But what about you? You will come soon too, right?" His silence was all the answer she needed.
--
Red hair was the first thing Riana saw as the hood was removed. Deep down she knew of someone else who had hair very similar to this man in front of her. But for some reason she was not able to think of his name.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" She demanded while still holding the dagger in front of her.
"I am sorry. Please drop the weapon and we can talk like civilized people." She noted a hint of accent in his voice and was even more reminded on someone she met before.
"No, I don't think I will. I suggest you leave now before my guards come. They won't show the same mercy as I am right now." She warned.
"Rikku, listen to me."
"Why do you keep calling me that?" Riana screamed.
"Because that is who you are. Cid sent me to find you and take you home. My name is Chappu." He took a step closer to her and held a hand out waiting for her to take it.
"Chappu?" She questioned. The name sparked a memory deep inside. Her hands shook as she tried to repress them. "No! Leave me alone! Guards!" Riana shouted to be heard through the door.
Chappu moved quickly before she could react. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small dagger of his own. "I am sorry, but this is for your own good, Rikku." He whispered to her just as guards rushed in the room. But not before he could scrape the back of her own hand. The sleep potion imbued into the weapon reacted almost right away. He caught her before she could hit the ground.
"Move away from her now!" He was warned as guns were trained on him.
"Sorry gentlemen. Afraid I can't do that." Chappu replied. His ear piece came to life just then as he could hear the panicked voices of the men below.
"Chappu, fryd ec kueh uh?" (Chappu, what is going on?)
"Hudrehk E lyh'd ryhtma, oy. Ajanodrehk lmayn pamuf?" He whispered back to them. (Nothing I can't handle, ya. Everything clear below?)
There was silence then sounds of a scuffle before the connection was cut off. Chappu cursed under his breath as the guards came closer.
--
"My, my my. What do we have here?" Seymour circled the small group of men gathered in his office. They all stared at him with fear filled eyes. One man stood apart from the rest unafraid of what the Potentate could do. Guards stood on the edge of the room weapons trained on the strangers.
"So who was in charge of this little kidnapping mission?"
"Oui drehg fa yna kuehk du damm oui? Pacetac oui fana dra unekehym gethybban." The man with red hair answered for them all. (You think we are going to tell you? Besides you were the original kidnapper.)
"Ah, pitiful Al Bhed. Even though I have tried so hard to create peace, this is the thanks I get?" Seymour moved so he was standing behind his desk once again. "Riana came to me of her own free will. So when you men came in uninvited and tried to take her from me, I believe that is nothing short of deserving of death."
"Oui suhcdan! Tu oui ajah ghuf fru oui yna taymehk fedr?" Several men moved forward to pull back Chappu before he could put them in any worse of a situation. (You monster! Do you even know who you are dealing with?)
Seymour looked on with intrigue. It didn't matter whether he understood what was said or not, the anger said everything. If he could push the man just a little farther, then maybe a public execution could be just the thing to bring the rest of Spira on his side.
He smirked to himself as he thought about how deceived Spira was. They had thought him to be some innocent man incapable of any evil thought. This would prove to all who really was in control. Riana was just the first part in his plan. The girl had been easy to control; all he had to do was prey on her doubts. The next step was to deal with the warrior Auron. That was being taken care of at that moment. Reports came in that morning telling him of the group that left the island. There was no doubt in his mind where they were heading.
That only left one person to deal with. If he could get these men worked up enough, then maybe he could find the whereabouts of the Al Bhed leader.
"We are finished here. Take them out of my sight." Seymour ordered with a swipe of his hand over the invaders.
The guards rushed to obey his command. When the room was empty and Seymour was alone, he sat down heavily into his shoopuff skinned chair. "All is going to plan. Soon, very soon, Cid."
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Shorter them most of the others, but I really didn't have much more I could add without taking from future chapters. And before I get someone complaining about me using Riana instead of Rikku in the beginning, allow me to explain. Think of it as a slight pov change. At this point Rikku now thinks of herself as 'Riana.' I made this chapter to reflect on that change of thought. Gin
