Yay! I updated! This one is kinda short, but ch 5 is turning out longer than expected, so hopefully it will balance out. I apologize if this one seems a little more random or lost than usual, but I don't know where its going at the moment. The characters are running away with this one!
Title: Random Bits 12 - Chapter 4
Setting: Yuna's Guardians are escorting her back from a visit to Macalania Temple (in Macalania if you couldn't't guess). Rest is in sight as Yuna, Party of Seven, crowd into the Travel Agency.
Thunder Plains - Travel Agency - While the 'X's unite against Tidus in one corner, the men are left to handle the lodging arrangements.
Kimahri took up his post by the door while his party waited for their turn at the front desk. There was a customer ahead of them who was one of those self important types who like to make absolutely certain that the rooms meet their high-class standards. They are usually the ones who want to know if the linens have been freshly pressed, who the neighbors are, make sure the mini bar is stocked with only the best, and want the turn down service with the expensive mint.
The Ronso heard a giggle and rolled his yellow eyes as he spied Tidus over by the magazine rack. The blitz ball star was holding a magazine with a scantily clad female on the cover. The title read: (Insert sleazy innuendo-based title here). Tidus was happily reading (I.e. looking at the pictures for educational purposes only) when a large hairy hand slapped itself down right across Miss PinkandPert, and Madam DoubleDeeThirty.
"Hey, I was reading that!" The teen whined in a miffed tone. Kimahri couldn't't care less about the state of Tidus's immortal soul, but he did care about Yuna's reputation. He pointed to a corner of the cover on which was printed in small letters (lest someone actually see them), the words 'Mature readers ONLY!"
"Hey, I can read."
The furry digit stabbed at the warning again, punctuating the motion with a low growl.
"I'm mature!" Tidus replied hotly.
Kimahri snorted, unconvinced. After all, he was talking to someone who thought body parts and various bodily functions were funny. To prove his point, the big blue mountain dweller rumbled "Knockers."
Tidus giggled.
"What?!"
Everyone turned at the shout, which was followed by a particularly colorful expletive. As always happens in these cases, there was an abrupt cessation of all background noise, leaving the curse to flutter around in the ringing silence. Auron had just received some very bad news, judging by the way he had braced his arms and leaned over the desk in classic mafia style. "What do you mean there are no more rooms available?" he growled. The poor clerk leaned back, buckling only slightly under the cyclopean gaze. It was a look that said 'I had better have heard you wrong, or it will go very bad for you, friend.'
Rallying, the attendant countered with the 'Sorry, but I've already paid my 'insurance' money this month', and said "I'm sorry, Sir, but the customer ahead of you just booked the last room."
"Well, then I'll just have to tell Lady Yuna cough, vanquisher of Sin, cough that she'll have to sleep outside." Auron replied, attempting the Impress-the-staff-with-your-celebrity technique.
"Sorry, Sir, but we don't have room. I can let you sleep in the utility shed." the man said, using the You-can-shove-it-up-your-bum technique.
"Is that so?" Auron, who was very good at listening between the lines to the things that weren't said, asked in a mild tone.
The clerk swallowed nervously at the unfriendly grin spreading itself across the Unsent Guardian's countenance. It was a grin usually worn by big jungle predators as they leapt out at their victims and shouted 'Surprise!' in a meat-scented growl.
The man, to his credit, stood fast as, at the snap of Auron's fingers the Ronso by the door lumbered towards him with the unstoppable intent of continental drift.
"Kimahri," Auron addressed the Ronso, his eye never leaving the sweating Agency manager. "This man says that there are no more rooms, and has kindly offered to allow Yuna to sleep in a shack.
The unfortunate clerk swallowed nervously as Kimahri loomed over him and cracked his massive knuckles.
" The nerve of some people!" Rikku snarled in righteous indignation, swinging an arm viciously in the direction of the Travel Agency.
"And suggesting that poor Yunie sleep in a shack."
"It's no big deal, really," Yuna replied hastily in an attempt to sooth the fuming girl. It had been much simpler with Kimahri. All she had to do was stroke his ears a few times and scratch his chin, and he was purring puddle of happiness. Rikku and her other Guardians were down right unsoothable (which probably isn't even a real word). Their Summoner, the High Summoner (automatically making her the best), had lost her room to a commoner ( turn head and spit in contempt). In the old days travelers would have nearly come to blows to give up their room for a Summoner. Now they could jolly well go find their own.
"At least he'll think twice next time, ya Auron?" Wakka grinned, nudging his Legendary companion in the ribs. Auron replied with a satisfied grunt.
"I can't believe you pulled Masamune and threatened him with Shooting Star!" Tidus laughed.
"He had guts to triple the price to let us stay in the utility shed." Wakka continued in disbelief as if Tidus hadn't spoken. When Wakka had a train of thought on his mind, everyone else's thoughts had to do their best to get out of the way.
"Not even the threat of receiving a curse from an Unsent moved him." Lulu said, impressed with the man's courage in the face of possible annihilation.
Auron grunted and trudged ahead in a foul mood. He had been hoping to spend a few hours dry and warm, but it looked like he would have to wait until they got to Mi'ihen. Yes Guadosalam was along the way, but Auron had the feeling that Yuna and Kimahri would prefer to avoid visiting Bob for quite some time still. After a nearly disastrous birthday party, sneaking through the tiny realm as quickly as possible was very appealing.
As the party came upon the entrance to Guadosalam, Yuna looked back and saw a dark shadow in the distance dart behind a small colony of boulders. She squinted and tried to find it amidst the flashes of lightning, but was unsuccessful. She put it down to nerves and led her group through Guadosalam, which was preformed at a sidling half-crouch, or commando-crawl, while sticking to the shadows.
Everybody run, Bob's coming! Grab a magazine for Tidus as you run by. Sweet Yevon, he's gaining on us!