Man, I've been gnawing over this story for a while. Still, I've decided to have NO Tuna-ness in this. Mainly cause as a couple they make me ill. Can't decide who's with who yet either. So many opportunities, so little time...

I don't own FF X-2 or any of her characters. I just use them. For no profit.

I wonder...just how long it took Lady Rikku to obtain Valfor.

Issaru was finally managing to walk correctly, but it took a great deal of concentration to do so. What he wanted to do was fall asleep where he stood. That would not do, though, because not only was it rude to the fayth, it would tarnish the reputation of summoners all together.

He had been in the Chamber of the Fayth for hours. There was no telling what time it was. Both Pacce and Maroda had looked relieved when he emerged, sweating but victorious. The fayth in Besaid Temple was more scrutinizing than the one in Kilika. Ifrit simply looked to see if the summoner had the strength and will to call him. Valfor scanned his mind and soul, looking for something that he had no notion of. He had tried to relax so that she would have an easier time, but it was not easy given his encounter with the Besaid summoner. Issaru had kept all thoughts of Rikku from his mind, or attempted to. He had not been granted Valfor's power until he had aired those thoughts to the fayth.

"Hey, there's the exit! Or entrance. The way out!" Pacce skipped ahead, leaving Maroda and Issaru to slowly walk behind him.

"Pacce, get back here. Issaru's in no condition to go that fast." Pacce stuck his tongue out at them and skipped off again.

"Let him go, Maroda. He has to wait for us to go out regardless."

"You're too nice, Issaru." Issaru gave a weak laugh and eventually caught up with his younger brother. They were descending the steps when Issaru saw Gippal standing nearby. The Al Bhed waved, then pointed to his right near the floor. Issaru looked where Gippal was pointing as his feet hit the floor.

Rikku was sitting at the feet of High Summoner Braska's statue, head and arms resting on the pedestal near his staff. Her eyes were half-lidded and unfocused. Completely motionless, she could have been one of the statues that surrounded them. It was indeed odd seeing Rikku still and silent. She looked up at him when Pacce landed on the floor from five steps above it. Her eyes were still calm, and Issaru wondered if they had always been so.

"You're back." Rikku got to her feet, brushing at her skirt.

"You don't sound surprised. Have you been waiting here this whole time, Lady?"

"Not the whole time." Rikku said, smiling up at him. He had never realized how small she was until he was looking down at her. "Just a little while."

"Huh." Gippal frowned at his summoner slightly. "It might seem like a little while for YOU, Princess, but not everyone likes being in this temple for hours on end." Rikku whirled to face him, the beads in her hair clattering together.

"No one said you had to come in here, meanie!"

"Oh really? You're the one that agreed Auron should spend some time with his girl. I'm not going to be the one to interrupt them."

"You are SO over-protective Gippal. No one's going to bother a summoner in a temple. Next thing you'll tell me is that you're going to start guarding me while I'm in the shower."

"You're an Al Bhed summoner, Princess. A lot of people won't like that, and in a creepy temple is a great place to attack. As for the shower bit," Now Gippal smirked. "You could always make Issaru guard you. I'm pretty sure he won't mind."

"Humf. Do you hear what he's saying, Issaru? Saying you'd guard me while I take a shower." Rikku went to Issaru's side and linked her arm through his, leading him to the exit. Issaru was too tired to blush at Gippal's last comment. "You'd be in the shower with me, not guarding me."

For all that Issaru was too tired to blush before, his face went scarlet at Rikku's words.

"You seem to have a talent for making people blush, Lady Rikku."

"Awww! Does it bother you? I can try and stop. Men are just so adorable when they blush."

"No, it's fine. I simply can't tell if you are joking or not." He and Rikku were walking ahead of the others.

"Would you like it if I said I was serious some of the time?"

"Ah..." This turned Issaru's face an even brighter shade of red. It felt so hot, he thought it might begin to glow.

"Oh. So, you don't really think I'm pretty?" He turned his head sharply to look at her, finding sad eyes and a pout on her lips.

"No! I mean, yes, I mean..."

"So, you DO think I'm pretty?"

"Yes." He was now watching his shoes instead of Rikku. There were only so many shades of red a human being can turn, and he did not want to find out what happened when the color progression was done with.

"And you want to take a shower with me?"

"Wha- I- Lady Rikku, that isn't something you should be asking me."

"Why not? You think I'm pretty. Why not take a shower with me? Or we could go swimming instead. We'd have to sneak past the guardians, though. Auron's distracted tonight, so it's just the others to get past..." Rikku seemed to be in deep thought on how to escape from their guardians.

"Why not just go to the beach?"

"Huh? Oh, cause there are people there, and they tend to stare if you go swimming naked."

"Sweet Yevon..." Issaru placed his free hand over his eyes, trying to keep the image that appeared within it away. Rikku giggled at him and walked closer to him.

"You've never gone skinny dipping, Issaru?"

"No. There's nowhere on Kilika Island to get enough privacy or safety to do that."

"Well, we should go before we leave. It'll be harder with Auron on top of his game, but we'll manage. Somehow. That guy's almost impossible to get away from."

"I take it you've 'escaped' from your guardians before?"

"Yep-yep! I do it all the time. Auron freaked out the first time. I didn't know someone could glare that much with just one eye." She giggled. "And Gippal, he just sighed and dragged me home."

"Why try to escape them, La-"

"Just Rikku. Being called 'Lady' all the time creeps me out. Anyway, I like time to myself without some guy hovering over my shoulder. Besides, it keeps them on their toes having to hunt after me. I'm not that easy to track down when I don't want to be."

"You have a strange way of looking at things, L...Rikku."

"Oh, I knew you could call me by my name! Good Boy!" Rikku reached up and patted the top of his head as though he were a dog. He was too tired to effectively stop her, but he did manage to swat at her hand slightly before it was withdrawn. "You're so fun, Issaru."

"I've never been accused of being 'fun' before." Issaru watched bemusedly as Rikku laid her head on his arm as they walked.

"Well, it's true. And don't worry about doing anything tomorrow. You should stay in bed."

"I plan on doing just that."

"Hey, Issaru!" Issaru turned back to see Gippal grinning like a fool, giving him two thumbs up. Issaru closed his eyes and went back to looking forward. He could hear the guardians behind him laughing quietly, no doubt at him.

"I think you're getting used to Gippal, Issaru."

"Does one get used to being around you, Rikku?"

"Nope."