A/n: Well, we have finally come to the last chapter on this story. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I have writing it. (You better, I lost sleep over this thing at times.) I still have one unfinished work that seems to be drawing to a close as well.
One more thing. I know in the last chapter I told you to take a look at my profile for some important information, well that is still true here. If you want to know, then check it out. And I'm really sorry, but it comes first before this.
--
"But how? Why? I don't get it, brudda." Wakka tried to grasp his mind around what he was witnessing at that moment. Chappu was alive and helping Al Bhed. It just wasn't possible.
"Wakka, allow me to explain. Twelve years ago when I was ordered to attack the Al Bhed city I couldn't do it. Instead I turned around and killed those who I was supposed to fighting with. I was not alone though. Others also began to follow my lead. Together we were able to drive out the Bevelle troops. However, even with my fighting skill, I was injured badly. Very close to near death. A woman hovered over me after that, and took care of me until I could take care of myself.
"She was a beautiful woman, and I soon fell in love with her. After a year I finally asked her to be my wife. Cid agreed it was the best thing for both of us, and presided over the whole ceremony."
"But I thought you were dead. Why didn't you try and contact me, ya?" Wakka interrupted. Lulu, too, agreed with her husband's question.
Chappu continued his story. "Spira thought me to be dead. I had to remain in hiding to protect the whole tribe. Then recently, we had seen Rikku on the spheres. Cid ordered a small group of us to infiltrate the city and rescue her. We had thought it was going to be easy. I even had a dagger imbued with sleep should she try and resist. It seemed so effortless, except for one thing."
"Rikku? I don't get it." Wakka scratched his head in confusion.
Chappu sighed. Then again, perhaps Auron had changed her name at one point to protect her. "The one you saw today next to Seymour is Rikku. Daughter of Cid. Bnehlacc of the Al Bhed."
"Whoa, whoa. You mean Riana, ya?"
"Chappu, what does this 'bnehlacc' mean?" Lulu asked.
"Rikku is the leader's daughter. Giving her the status of princess." Chappu answered. He leaned back in his seat next to the fire and allowed them to absorb all he had just said.
--
"Uncle Cid!" Yuna shouted as she rushed to the fallen man's side. She couldn't believe what she saw. Rikku had just attacked her own father!
Auron was beside them in moments. He held Cid's head up as Yuna tried to cast a cure spell on him. It has the desired effect.
"Auron, glad to see you alive." He turned his head to the crying woman on his other side. "Yuna, you look just like your father. I'm glad to see you have grown so strong." He released a slight chuckle. "Auron?"
"Sir?"
"Stop him. I don't know what that man has done to my daughter, but obviously it's not right otherwise you would not be here fighting. Stop him, and release my daughter."
"Yes sir. I will do it, for you."
"Not just me, son. I can see the love for her shining in your eye when you look at her. Do this not only for me, but for yourself as well."
"Cid." Auron gasped when he closed his eyes.
"Don't you worry about me. This old body still has some life left in it yet." Cid reassured him. Yuna casted a high level healing spell before other men came over and carried him away.
"You ready, Yuna?" Auron asked when they were both on their feet.
"I am. We will stop this here and now." She answered with determination.
They ran up and stood on either side of Tidus who was busy holding Seymour's guards back alone.
"'Bout time you guys got here. I thought I was going to have to fight alone."
"Not if we have anything to say about it." Auron replied.
Yuna began the fight by casting protect and shell spells to cut back on the damage they were due to receive. Each time another wave would rush in to attack, Auron took them out by jumping in the air and slamming his sword into the ground. The resulting shock wave took out most of the enemy, and what he missed Tidus followed up with a quick sword strike.
Finally they came to Rikku and Seymour. They stood side by side watching as men were defeated in waves. Rikku's dress still flowed around her as the magic had not yet dissipated.
"So you have come to receive your deaths?" Seymour stated. "Very well. We can arrange that for you. My Lady, if you will." Seymour held one hand out for Rikku to start.
"So you would send others to fight for you?" Auron questioned his motive.
"Forgive me, Sir Auron. You do not seem to think she is willing to fight for me."
"How can you do this to her? Have you no shame?" Yuna was next to ask.
"Lady healer. Do you not want to see her happiness?"
"I'll only be happy when she is with the one she truly loves." Yuna answered. She was quickly knocked back when a water spell surrounded her before disappearing. She managed to stay on her feet as the shell took most of the damage.
Rikku did not smile even once as she casted spell after spell at the three. The unseen wind grew stronger as the battle raged on.
"Rikku, fight it!" Tidus shouted after being hit by a particularly strong firaga. "You can't let him control you like this!"
Auron braced himself as he began to figure out her fighting pattern. She would be hitting him with a thundaga attack next. He watched as she held one hand up calling the storm, but instead of the strong magic he expected. He was hit with a slightly weaker thundara spell.
Seymour noticed it as well. "Don't let them get to you." He encouraged her. "Fight on, and show them how you really feel."
Tidus was the first to be stopped in mid attack as Rikku turned him into stone. Yuna hurried to cast an esuna to soften the spell cast over him. Rikku took in the action and cast silence on the healer. That would cut the strength of them down by one.
"Rikku, stop this! You must fight through his words. Fight and free yourself. Don't let him win!" Auron shouted near the end of the fight. He was becoming tired, but had to hold on for her sake.
Another flare spell was released from her fingertips just as he finished speaking. It hit him just as she collapsed to the ground. How could she do that to him? The air around her died and she covered her face with her hands. Rikku's shoulders convulsed as tears poured down. Yuna ran to her side and wrapped her arms around the younger woman.
"Shh, it's alright. We're here for you. Go ahead, cry it out."
"Yuna?" Rikku lifted her face to look at what she had just done. "I'm sorry! I didn't want to. I tried so hard to stop, but...I-I couldn't!"
"We understand. You didn't do anything wrong. Seymour is the one to blame." Tidus added. He kneeled down in front of them giving his own version of support.
"How dare you intervene in my plans. This cannot go unpunished." Seymour seemed to float as he moved next to where Rikku had collapsed to the ground. "Arise, Riana. We still have much work to do." He held one hand down to her waiting for her to take it.
Yuna and Tidus gasped in horror as they watched Rikku very slowly reach out and take his offer. Once she was next to him, they walked together to where Auron lay on the ground still dazed. Slowly Rikku reached into his coat and pulled out the weapon he had been carrying for her. She strapped it on her wrist and was about to strike the final blow when a small group entered the square once more.
A ball came flying effectively knocking her back and saving Auron's life. "We came back to help, ya." He shouted.
"Looks like you needed us after all." Lulu added.
"Lulu, Wakka, Kimahri!" Yuna called to them in relief. If there was ever a time she was glad to see them, it was now.
The three newcomers took fighting positions and Yuna tried healing the wounded warrior.
Lulu began this next stage of battle by double casting a demi spell. They did not want to hurt Rikku, but she would need to be weakened somehow. Seymour immediately cast cure on her and smirked when the group groaned in aggravation. He would have a little fun before finishing them off.
Rikku used her speed before running up to Kimahri and using her new weapon punched him in the midsection. He fell down to the ground without a fight. Yuna quickly cured him and he shook his mane out as he stood again.
Auron was on his feet again, barely, and began to shout orders. "Kimahri, out for Tidus. Tidus, haste the group. You will need the extra speed if you are to stand a chance of evading her attacks."
"Lulu, demi then osmose. Use her mana as your own." Each person followed his orders exactly. In a short time they soon had Rikku leaning over and panting for breath. Yet, Auron still had not taken a turn at attacking. His health was almost as low as hers, yet the power of his sword deceived his body making him feel much stronger. He would wait until she was closer to defeat before striking.
That moment was not far away now. "Wakka, blind her then switch for me."
"Whatever you say, Auron. Take that, ya!" He shouted as his ball went flying into Rikku.
She stumbled a moment before lashing out. But since she was blind, Rikku missed the attack. Auron ran in and used the flat of his blade to strike. It had the desired effect and Rikku fell to the ground once again.
"You are strong. Much stronger then you all appear. Very well. It is my turn now." Seymour stepped in front of Rikku and changed. Not just a normal change as in expression, he became something different. All the cameras in the area exploded as he pulled mana directly from the air around them and became something almost inanimate.
"Now we shall see who is really stronger." It was him speaking, yet it almost sounded otherworldly.
"Now. This is it. This is what it all comes down to. Show Spira the truth of who Seymour is! You won't have another chance like this." Auron shouted out to encourage those with him. He could see they were weakening and about to give up.
"I'm with you, Auron. Let's do this!" Tidus cheered along with him.
It did not take long for the others to follow suit. Nothing was held back this time. Each one gave everything they had, and then some. Yet they still seemed to be losing. Maybe Seymour really was too much for them.
--
Rikku sat up in the middle of the fight. She was torn over what she should do. She wanted to help her friends to defeat Seymour for what he had done to her. He had taken control of her mind and used her to do his will. Yet deep down, she knew that Seymour really did care about her. She watched as he slammed Auron with spell after spell. Still Auron fought on. It seemed as the more pain he was in, the more damage he dealt.
The two men were fighting over her. No, not over her; for her. As many times as Auron was knocked out, he still would get up once again and fight on. It did not matter what he did to himself, he was fighting for her. After Yuna had once again revived him, Rikku knew it was time for action.
If Seymour really cared about her like he said he did, then he would not have had to erase the memories of her friends from her mind. He would not have needed to take him away from her. Auron came here to save her because he cared.
She checked to make sure that the weapon was strapped securely to her wrist before getting up. The battle seemed to pause as she made her way to them. Seeing that all eyes were on her almost made her stop, but she pushed that thought away. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Rikku took Kimahri's place and stood next to Auron.
"Sorry, I'm late." She said. "Had to work out a few things first."
Auron was leaning on his sword as he tried to stay upright. He nodded once to her.
"Lady Riana. You would now fight me too?" Seymour asked when he saw what side she now stood on.
"Yes Seymour, I would. You have taken much away from me. My friends, family, and most of all, you tried to take away the man that I truly love. I cannot stand by and watch you continue. I will stop you too!"
As she spoke, Rikku could feel a power growing bigger inside her. It grew and grew until she could stand it no longer. Just when she thought she was going to burst, she shouted out something no one expected. "Ultima!"
Seymour found himself surrounded by blackness before waves a magic in greens and purples tore at his flesh. He screamed in pain as time seemed to stand still and he wished he would die. The sphere finally closed in on him and he could see the world once again. Seymour fell to the ground defeated.
"No! This cannot be!" He was in shock. The one spell even he himself was unable to master was just cast at him. It was impossible.
Throwing the claw aside, Rikku ran to him before he died. "My dearest lady, you would have pity on me now?"
"Seymour, why? Why did you do it?" She whispered.
Everyone gathered closer as they listened to him speak as he took his dieing breaths.
"I did it all for revenge. I killed my own father with these hands and blamed it on Al Bhed." He weakly held up his hands in presentation before dropping them once again. "I wanted my father to suffer as I had done when he supported Cid instead of his own son. I despised the Al Bhed. Wanted them all to die, slowly and painfully. But then you...you Lady Ri...Lady Rikku, you helped me to find love.." He struggled for air as he came closer to death.
"But you took so much away from me. How can you say you loved me when you didn't even give me a chance to love you back?" Rikku accused him. "You didn't love me, you loved the woman named Riana that you controlled into doing your will." Tears poured freely down her face.
"Rikku, we should go now." Lulu spoke softly.
"I am sorry. Forgive me, forgive me Lady Rikku." Seymour took one last breath before falling lifeless in her arms.
--
The group slept soundly that night. They had all had a long day and needed the rest. One person though, was unable to sleep. She stood wrapped in a thick robe staring out at the city below her. Rikku had too much on her mind to even think about sleeping.
It had been a shock to hear the truth about the twelve year long war from Seymour himself. To think all this had started because Jyscal fought so hard for a truce, only to end up being the cause of separation.
Wakka had made peace with her people now, and with his brother. They had so much time to make up. Chappu didn't know how much he hurt his brother by cutting him off, but that was soon forgotten when Wakka found out he was an uncle. Lulu was still as supportive and silent as always.
Yuna and Tidus seemed to be getting along so much better now too. She was happy to see that they had found a happiness in one another. They deserved it too. Yuna even told her that she was thinking of saying yes if her were to ever ask her to marry him.
Once Cid had recovered, he refused to let her leave his side. Her memories of him were still fuzzy at best, she was so young when she left, but he assured her they would have time to make new ones. He told her how her mother had died during the attack, and held her as she cried for the woman she barely knew. It was difficult for both of them.
At her urging, Kimahri agreed he would try and return to the mountain. It had been so long, surely they would not still be upset with him. Seeing as one camera had not been destroyed in the battles, Spira was able to see for themselves the truth of what they thought their Potentate to be. It could not be denied any longer. It would take time, they knew, but perhaps Kimahri would be able to find another and marry again.
That left only one person. Rikku glanced to the door where he slept on the other side. He finally was able to admit that he loved her, but it would take time for him to learn to show it in front of others. That was fine by her. Ten years may have separated them, but when you had love what did a number really mean? If her own father supported them, then she knew it was something to be treasured.
The object of her thoughts appeared standing in the door covered in only a pair of black boxers. "Rikku, what are you doing? You should have been in bed hours ago." He tried to use a hand to cover a yawn that escaped.
Rikku giggled at the action. Auron frowned before moving to stand next to her. "I'm sorry, Auron. I had so much on my mind I just couldn't sleep."
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "Then I guess I'll just have to stay up with you." He leaned over and began to nuzzle her neck.
She tried to push him away, but found his grip on her too strong. "You're tired. Don't stay up because of me."
"Then come with me. I promise to keep you warm." Before she was able to reply, Auron covered her mouth with his own. Rikku found herself lost in him, it was hard to tell what way was up or down. Then without breaking the kiss, Auron picked her up, bridal style, and carried her back to the room with him.
Gently he lay her on the bed and untied the robe from her body. He ran his hands under it relishing the soft skin that was below. He broke the kiss long enough to whisper one question. "Rikku, when Seymour controlled you, he didn't ever...take you, did he?"
Rikku paused as she thought about what he was asking. She wore a confused expression until she figured out what he meant. "Auron." She whispered. "You don't have to worry. I'm as pure today as the day I was born. I don't think he wanted anything like that from me."
Auron let out a relieved sigh. "That makes me glad." He nuzzled her neck once again. "I really do love you, and I'm sorry for letting you go through that."
"I know you do, and I love you too. But you do not need to blame yourself for what I myself had done. If I had only listened to you to begin with, we would not have been in that mess."
"Perhaps not, but it did make me realize what my true feelings were. If you had not left, I would not have ever seen you for who you truly are."
Rikku smiled before yawning. "You know, maybe I am tired after all."
Auron chuckled. "Very well. Good night, bnehlacc." He kissed her gently before they both fell to the spell of sleep dreaming of fields and flowers spread as far as the eye could see.
--
Well that's it! I finally finished. Maybe if I get enough requests I might add an epilogue. Not sure yet, but I rather like it like this. It leaves so much open that you can imagine whatever you want next to happen. Well let me know what you all think. Gin
