Oh man, here I've been writing away. . . kinda haha, and I forgot to put disclaimers up. What a pain huh?
Disclaimer:
Well I should think it's obvious I do not Final Fantasy X or anything of that sort. Well I do technically own it, but just a copy, and I presume that's not enough to have rights to it. Damn.
Oh another thing Thank You to all the reviewers so far. You guys are great, I appreciate it. And here's a dedication first one yay! This one goes to. . . Jaymo! Woo, you've been so helpful with everything, so here is the meeting! I hope you enjoy it!
Oh! In case you don't realize it . . . .
Thoughts or inner monologues and in ' . . .' those dandy little things and speech is in " . . ." these loverly things. Just so you know.
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Her heart was racing. Pounding in her chest painfully. Her head aching at the thought. 'No way . . . Is that even possible?' she thought. 'Just look at Tidus though, he's out there right now with Yuna, he's alive, but, but he was a dream, he wasn't already dead . . . so that means that it can't be Auron right?' she debated in herself.
Rikku paced back and forth on the airship. A battle taking place within her head wether Auron was alive or not. 'Even if he is it's not like he'll want to hang around me anyway. And I wonder if he'll actually be in a good mood or if he'll Mr. Stoic like always. What the hell do I care anyway?' she shrugged to herself and continued pacing. 'If he's not alive though . . .' Rikku stopped that thought in the middle of it, her chest constricted at it, her hope felt like it was falling away, crumbling like a dying wall of faith. 'Why does that idea hurt so much? It's not like he hasn't been around and it's not like I've been waiting for his arrival.' she told herself. It felt like she was trying to convince herself that she didn't want to see him. Like he was gone and it was ok. It wasn't mind you, but she was trying desperately not to latch to the idea of his wake. Her pacing continued.
Paine and Shinra watched her go back and forth, back and forth. Their eyes darting back and forth like they were watching a tennis or ping pong game. Finally Brother's voice broke through her contemplations "Rikku, Stop Pacing! Your driving me nuts!"
"Huh?" was Rikku's only reply, her head coming up with a confused look on her face.
"Didn't you notice you were pacing?" Paine asked her.
"Uh heh, heh, no, I didn't." she responded, looking sheepish this time.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing . . ." her eyebrows furled together.
Paine raised an eyebrow. "Rikku." he tone said everything thing, it said 'I know your thinking about something important so fess up before I do something to make you fess up.'
Rikku opened her mouth to respond and was interrupted by Buddy saying "We're landing you two get ready to pick the man up."
Rikku's head shot up at him and then shot to look out the window, in her trance she hadn't even realized the airships arrival in Zanarkand.
She had seen the city so many times before and each time it scared the hell out her. No matter what business she had to attend to there, she never wanted to be there again. Not after everything, the trauma of the first time. But now, the fear was duplicated. She had no idea who was waiting for her on the other side of the airships walls but she had a good idea. And if she was wrong . . . she really didn't want to think about that.
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Auron was sitting in the same spot when he finally heard noises coming from above. 'Wow that was quicker than I remember, I've only been here for a little over an hour, I think. Ship improvements I suppose.' he mused. The ship started to come to a landing a little way away from him. 'I wonder who's on the ship. Other than the boy that is.' He latched onto his sword digging one end into the ground and using it a leverage to life his hurt body up. He stood though and waited for the people to come to him. 'Don't need to collapse here with my blood loss, so I'll stay put, hopefully they'll bring potions with them.' So there he stood waiting.
A few moments later he started to grow slightly impatient, he knew it was because he wanted to get the hell out of the city but he couldn't help but feel the annoyance start to rise. He shook his head hoping to push it back 'I'm being ridiculous, relax Auron, just relax.' Another few minutes later he saw two bodies making their way over the horizon.
From what he could tell they were two females. One was clearly shorter than the other carrying a pair of dagger like weapons on her side, the other had a fairly large sword at her side. Then one of the women stopped, like they were staring at him. He cocked his head to the side, wondering if she recognized him, but continued to look over the two girls. The one staring at him caught his attention more. Her outfit was practically non-existent 'if she fights it's a mystery to me how she does it in a skirt like that' he thought. He noticed her hair was disheveled, she wore some strange fabric on her arms and then her face. "Woah." he breathed, unable to contain it. There was no way this person was who he thought it was. But those eyes, he couldn't mistake them for anyone else.
"Rikku"
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Rikku and Paine started their short trek to the city's entrance. They started up a slight incline taking their time to look out for fiends. At the top Rikku's eyes fell on the man they were sent. After a few more steps and her eyes focusing in on the man she came to a halt.
Paine stared at her like she went insane.
"Rikku?"
"No way, it's not . . ., is it? But there's no salt and pepper hair. And two eyes staring at me." she started rambling.
Paine looked at her even more incredulously. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Rikku didn't hear her though, she just continued talking into a soft tone to herself. "But that stance, that sword, that coat, it has got to be him." 'Then why can't I move' she thought. Her stance never broke, she stared the man down until she heard the voice.
"Rikku"
Her eyes widened and before she could even think to stop herself she flew down the hill towards the man. Leaving Paine well behind her. She knew she was tripping all over herself in her haste. She didn't care.
'It really is her' he said to himself, slightly shocked that this was the young girl that was with him on the pilgrimage. But there was certainly no doubt when her body came racing toward him at full speed. He barely had time to prepare himself before he felt her body launched at his, holding on for dear life. His eyes were wide 'I never expected this reaction from her, maybe some jumping around. . . just not jumping on me.'
Rikku clung to him not caring if he was going to yell at her. Then she felt one arm come around her and return the hug, well death hold, she had on him. She closed her eyes and really breathed in his scent, happy to be smelling it for the first time in years. Then came his voice.
"Rikku"
"Auron" she replied heart pounding again.
"Your not making my injuries any better." came his cool reply.
"Ohhh" she gasped looking into his face fully for the first time. "Oopsie"
"Hmph, indeed."
"I guess I just got excited" she breathed. 'Guess it is the same ol' Auron'
"It's okay, I understand." he said a small, barely visible smile gracing his face.
She knew her eyes lit up at the sight she never thought she'd see.
"Geez, you think you could have ran any faster?" Paine panted heavily, as she approached the pair.
"Oopsie?" she said again
"I see that word is a popular one in your vocabulary" came Auron's voice.
"Hey" Rikku said in a slightly whiny voice. Tears now apparent in her eyes.
Paine looked at her with alarm, dismay and amusement all at the same time. She could see Rikku fighting to keep them back and the look on the man's face was one of horror.
'What. . . why does she look like she's going to break down. This can't be that bad of a thing can it? Well, clearly not considering the way she launched herself at me. But I don't want to see any tears.' he told himself horrified by the look on her face.
'Oh man, don't cry Rikku. Just look at the look Auron's giving you, hell the one Paine's giving you. No, don't do it, wipe away whatever could fall now and smile. Just smile, like always.' Her body responded to her thoughts, a hand coming up to push the tears back and any that may have fallen away. "Sorry" she breathed, "I guess I just never thought I'd see you again." One tear broke through making it down to her huge smile.
His hand came to her face brushing it away as she did to the last ones. 'Her cheeks are soft' "Well no need to cry about it, I know I'm not the most pleasant sight in Spira, but that's a bit much." He received a laugh from Rikku and a smirk from the other girl. 'Wonder who she is, haven't seen her before."
As if on cue, "Oh man, sorry. Auron this is Paine and Paine this is the 'Legendary Sir Auron'. She stated for the two. Paine stuck out her hand in a friendly gesture.
"A pleasure to meet you." she said a stoic look on her face.
Auron lifted his hand to meet hers "Same to you" the same stoic look on his face.
Giggles erupted from the side, "ha ha ha, you two look like father and daughter - the stoic pair or something' she laughed a little more, receiving slight glares from the two. "Okay!" she said all business again. "Let's get you healed up! Paine you have the white mage dress sphere right?"
"Uh no, thought you did."
"Nope."
"Yuna must have it. Got any potions on you?"
"Yup!" she reached into her pouch. "All I have is two Auron, this should work for now until we get you on the ship okay?"
"Can't say I'm in any place to disagree with you" he responded
Rikku shook her head at him giving him the potions and letting them take effect. "Alright lets move it shall we, I'm sure you've lost enough blood already" he nodded in response.
Auron picked up his sword resting on his shoulder like he always did and started to move at a slow pace, taking it easy on his body.
"Man Auron I know your not old anymore, but your moving slower than one the pilgrimage" she laughed. In return she definitely received a 'your lucky im injured right now otherwise I'd beat you' look. She smiled "Just kidding Auron, here give me that sword of yours, you don't need the extra weight right now." Before he even had a chance to respond she had taken the sword from his hand.
"Here give me the sword" Paine said, "Help him out a little, we're almost there but his leg needs the support" Rikku nodded passing the sword over, Auron watching helplessly to stop them.
"Come here Auron, lean on me a little and we'll make it back in one piece!" she stated with way too much enthusiasm. He looked at her like she was nuts, and she just walked over threw his arm over his shoulder one hand holding it in place and her hand around his waist lightly. She looked up at him and smiled and started to walk. 'What was that smile Auron thought, it was. . . I don't know. Innocent but sweet, no disgust or hiding just genuine. I'm thinking too much now. Why the hell am I thinking about this?' he shook off the contemplations and focused on avoiding too much weight on the injured leg.
'I didn't think he'd actually go for this. Not that he could stop us, but no glares or anything. I'm surprised and proud of him. Probably shouldn't share though, I'll definitely earn a glare. Don't want that!'
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Finally after about 15 minutes of walking they made it into the airship. Rikku helping Auron into one of the beds on the ship and Paine walking off to grab some potions off of the Barkeep.
"I can't believe it, your really alive. But I don't understand. How are you? And why are you younger? You still have the scar though huh? But you can see out of both eyes now right?! Tidus is alive too you know?" Rikku's questioned spilled out her mouth faster than you could pull the trigger to a gun.
"Breathe Rikku" Paine's voice cut in. "Why don't you let the man rest before you bombard him with questions?"
"You have a point" Auron just nodded, Rikku stuck her tongue out at him.
Buddy's voice filled the intercom, "Hey Paine, we got a call from Barali coming in for you."
Rikku and Paine looked at each other in confusion. "Well, I'll go see what that's about" Paine shrugged and made her way out of the room.
Rikku took the potions in her hands. "Alright let's get these boots and coat off you so I can see your wounds." Auron obliged removing the coat handing it to Rikku as she placed on the bed behind her. His boots were harder for him, with the injury on his side and his leg searing with pain. "Hold on, I'll get it."
"Rikku I can take my own boots off" he said feeling slightly pathetic.
"Don't worry the fiends must have hurt you pretty bad if you're having a hard time. It's ok, I won't tell anyone. Promise!" Rikku gave him a sincere looked and he pulled his body up wincing at the pain. She smiled sympathetically and slowly removed the boot from his injured legs and then from the next leg. 'She's being so delicate like she might break me if she pulls to hard or grips too much' Auron found himself smiling at the thought. Rikku on the other hand was worrying 'I just don't want to hurt him, careful girl! Careful. Good, incident free!'
She picked the potions up and moved the fabric back from his leg. 'Yevon! How the hell did he walked on this?! It's got me saying yevon, oh man' "Auron how did you walk on this thing?" she asked with a horrified look on his face?
"I didn't really have a choice it was that or the fiends. I wasn't given my life back to be killed two hours after arriving back on Spira."
"Your amazing, you know that? No normal man, human, anything could have walked with this injury. Never mind fight fiends on it." Auron raised his eyebrows at the compliment and somehow felt entirely unworthy of the praise.
"Rikku . . ." he began.
"No really Auron, you're something else" she smiled. Her hands were moving to open the vile up and apply the potion to the wound. "So how are you back? And why younger?"
"The Fayth"
"Just the Fayth?" she asked not satisfied by the answer.
"A reward I suppose, they sort of forced it on me. And as for younger, it was my life before my own anger and Yunalesca stripped me of it."
"You don't want to be back?" 'She almost looks hurt by that idea'
'Why does, that . . . hurt?'
"No, well, I didn't, I just wanted to rest, or I thought I did. Then the air filled my lungs for the first time in about 12 years and the feeling and thoughts I pushed aside and resurfaced and I felt that life would be a good thing. Being alive was what I wanted."
"Wow" she looked at him with big eyes "I'm glad that you want to be here and I'm glad your back too." she said with a shy smile.
He felt a shot of warmth erupt over him chest when her felt her hands life his shirt, applying potions to this wound too. "Wow, Auron this wounds worse than your leg, I'm surprised your alive right now at all!"
He chuckled. She looked at him like he was slightly insane. He stopped and looked at her, she only shook her head and smiled. "Well, I'm glad your in a good mood about all this." she said pointing down to the serious injuries. He gave another small smile.
"So what happens now Auron? Where are you going and what do you want to do?"
Her question rang in his ears and for the first time he realized he hadn't even thought about it. He looked up at her and shook his head. "Well then the amazing Rikku will have to help you out now won't I!?" she questioned with enthusiasm, and mischief in her eyes.
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Okay, so I apologize for spelling mistakes or anything repetitive, currently suffering from slight insomnia so I'm not on the ball. Whatever that means haha. Um, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, longer than usual so I was proud of that! But tell me what you think. I'm trying so give me a break. But please review, so I know how this is going!
And to anyone worried there will totally be fluff! I promise. But I have a question for you guys, should Gippal be making an appearance in this thing or not?
Plus if you just have any ideas throw them my way, I'll see what I can do with them.