Thanks for reviewing.
Sorry 'bout the long wait!
"Wakka, it's all part of a plan. Rikku obviously has something to do with it. But I'm not sure Chappu knows..." Lulu shook her head.
"Rikku's always up to somethin', ya? It's lunch now, so let's go eat." Wakka led her outside the store, to the Ice Spring.
---
"It's lunch time, let's go over to the restaurant." Tidus stretched.
---
When Chappu, Yuna Tidus and Rikku arrived at a restaurant, it wasn't the one they said earlier, it was the Nova.
The friends started entering, except for Chappu. "This is the wrong place..." Chappu got his friends to stop.
"Huh?" Rikku pretended she knew nothing.
"You said we're going to Ice Springs, but we're at Nova." Chappu became suspicious.
It was easy for them to tell. Looking up at the sign that read "Nova" and looking back at Chappu, acting as if they didn't know.
"Oops." Rikku skipped down the steps. "Let's go to the Ice Spring."
---
At the Ice Spring, Wakka and Lulu were shocked at the fact that they agreed to come here. It was a bar, full of buff men, wearing eye patches, leather and handkerchiefs. Some were playing pool, others smoking, playing cards, banging on tables. Some half drunk, some totally drunk.
"Why did we agree to this?" Wakka couldn't take his eyes off the scene.
Lulu had not comment and left, Wakka scurrying out after being caught staring.
"Maybe there's another place we could go to..." Wakka suggested. "How 'bout that one there." he pointed.
---
When the group of four entered the Ice Spring, they had the same reaction as Wakka.
"Tidus, why'd you choose this place?" Yuna whispered to him.
"It was the first restaurant I saw when we got here." Tidus shrugged.
A waitress by the name of Flo - according to her name tag - strolled over to them, examining each one up and down. "May I help you?" she had an unfamiliar accent to the friends, it sounded a cross between a farmer and an Al Bhed learning English for the first time. She had her hair up in a beehive style, quite curly, tied with a blue cloth, a red waitress dress with white polka dots, a white apron, and cowboy boots. Her red lipstick was neat, but the blue eye shadow was messy. In her hand was a wooden tray of several alcoholic beverages.
"Thank you, b-but we're leaving." Yuna shook her head and exited, her friends behind her.
"That's why we went to Nova." Rikku informed Chappu.
---
"This place isn't so bad." Wakka cut his steak.
"Compared to Ice Spring, it's perfect." Lulu pierced her salad.
"You can say that again." Wakka chuckled.
Wakka was now dripping BBQ sauce on his chin, gazing out to the streets.
"Um, Wakka," Lulu tapped her chin as Wakka looked to her.
"... Oh..." He felt the sauce and wiped it swiftly.
"And here." Lulu pointed to the corners of her mouth.
Wakka wiped his just as Lulu told him. "Here?"
"And here." Lulu pointed just below her lip.
Wakka rubbed away, "Gone?"
"No." Lulu shook her head.
Wakka scrubbed harder, but it still hadn't gone away.
"No, it's still there."
A waiter walked by, and Wakka got his attention. "Excuse me, is there a washroom?"
"Yes, at the end of this room." he indicated.
"Thank you." Wakka set the napkin down, and went to the bathroom. In the mirror, he could see what Lulu was talking about. He took a paper towel, and tried to get rid of the BBQ sauce.
---
Rikku ordered a slice of lasagna, Tidus requested rice, Chappu asked for a pasta, and Yuna wanted a salad.
"Where do you think they are?" Chappu waited for his meal.
"Don't know, but we'll find them." Rikku shrugged.
"Why had they kept away from my brother and Lulu? Somethin's up... But what? I'll have to find out on my own, ya?" Chappu thought.
---
Jecht searched the Moon Flow for the younger adventurers. "Where could they be?" he scratched his head in puzzlement.
"Jecht, they're not here. They must be further back." Braska sighed.
"Either way, we've got to find them." Auron scratched his chin.
"Let's go!" Jecht led the other two.
---
"Welcome men. I see you have all joined me. I must warn you though, the enemies will try to harm you..." Seymour's speech last night had been a long one, informing the recruits of the plan. But why was he doing it? That's what one out of line person questioned. The pacing man held his hands behind his back, dressed in casual clothing, and never once took his eyes off the wooden floor for the past hour. "Why?" Why was he doing this again? He had forgotten some time ago. "Oh right! ... Ah! I just lost it!" the man fell to his knees, about to pull invisible hair out of his bald head.
---
After lunch, and a little more shopping, everyone met up outside the hotel after being separated.
"What happened, ya?" Wakka asked.
"Long story." Tidus replied.
"It's almost time for dinner." Yuna stated.
"Let's go look around a bit more." Tidus led Yuna out into the streets once again.
"Lulu, I saw this really cool thing," Chappu trailed on as he and Lulu stepped out.
"Looks like it's just you and me..." Rikku seemed disappointed to Wakka.
"What's wrong, ya?" Wakka requested from his Al Bhed friend.
"Nothing. How 'bout we go shopping?!" Rikku hassled him to a really nice clothes store she had passed.
Wakka sighed.
---
"Yuna, I want to spend as much time with you as I can, before I have to leave..." Tidus wrapped his arms around his beloved.
"Me too." Yuna held his hands.
---
"Lulu? Lulu? Lulu?" Chappu repeated over the day dreaming mage.
"Hm?" Lulu turned to Chappu.
"I said, why do your friends distance themselves from you and Wakka?" Chappu patiently waited for an answer.
"What to tell him?" "It's a silly game they play. And, also, they tend to keep to themselves because, well, you know how I'm not exactly the happiest of all people..."
"But you are happy, in a composed way."
"Right."
"I see..." "Lulu, you're not telling it all."
---
"Wakka, something's wrong! I wanna know what it is to help you!"
"It's nothing, ya? Keep looking for.. whatever it is you're looking for." Wakka looked around the Al Bhed shop.
Things really have changed. Before the Al Bheds were disliked, out casted. But now, now they're everywhere!
"Wakka cdub meaehk!! Ed'c cu upjeuic!! Ykr!!!" Rikku sighed.
---
After dinner and more shopping (thanks to Rikku), they headed back to the hotel room, tired after exploring the city all day.
"I'll see you in the morning." Tidus quickly kissed Yuna.
Yuna smiled. "I'll see you too." and after a moment headed in her room.
"Night Lulu." Chappu embraced and kissed her.
"You too." she returned both.
"Lu, I want to say -"
"C'mon Wakka." Chappu yawned.
"Ya." Wakka fallowed his brother in.
Lulu watched the two brothers.
"Are you coming in?" Rikku poked her head out the door.
"Yes." Lulu turned and walked in.
Rikku and Yuna were already in pyjamas. Rikku's were yellow shorts with little gold stars scattered and a matching tank top. Yuna wore a plain blue t-shirt and white pants.
"I'll be a moment." Lulu grabbed her knee length night gown she had bought from the bag of clothes from today's shopping.
---
"Wakka, why do your friends stay away from you and Lulu?" Chappu sat on his bed cross legged.
"Ah, it's some wierd thing they do, ya?" Wakka shrugged and got under the covers. "I'll see you in the mornin'. We got a big day tomorrow, ya?"
"Ya." Chappu turned off the light and did the same as his brother. "Lier." he knew something wasn't being said.\
---
Yuna and Rikku shared a bed, giggling and making up ideas.
"Please go to bed." Lulu rolled over just enough to see the two.
"Okay." both whispered.
"E lyh'd tu ed, cra'mm ryja y ved uh sa!" Rikku tried hard not to yell.
"Veha, E'mm tu ed. Pid vencd oui'ja kud du ica ib dra rud fydan."
"Hu bnupmas."
---
All around was the beach of Besaid. A warm summer day, cool breeze, water splashing. In the water, Lulu was drowning! "Lu!" Wakka called, sprinting so save her, but just before he could get close to the water, Chappu carried her out. He spoke softly, she nodded, and they kissed. Wakka moaned and left to the village unseen. Somehow, in his hut were his brother and Lulu again, but this time his friends were in there too. "Congrats!" Rikku jumped up. "Yeah, congratulations!" Tidus smiled. "Huh?" Wakka was puzzled. "Oh. Hi Wakka, you're just in time for the news." Chappu stood up. "We're getting married."
Wakka shot up from his sleeping position, as if he'd had a nightmare. He made an attempt to calm don his heavy breathing. "It... it was only a dream... but why am I so scared, ya?"
"Wakka cdub meaehk!! Ed'c cu upjeuic!! Ykr!!!" "Wakka stop telling lies!! It's so obvious!! Agh!!!"
"E lyh'd tu ed, cra'mm ryja y ved uh sa!" "I can't do it, she'll have a fit on me!"
"Veha, E'mm tu ed. Pid vencd oui'ja kud du ica ib dra rud fydan." "Fine, I'll do it. But first you've got to use up the hot water."
"Hu bnupmas." "No problem."
Please review.
I'll be away for three days starting Wednesday, so the next chapter may be a little late as well.
xmoonsx