A/N:

Sandstone: (Grinning evilly) Next chapter, here ya go.

Luin: Somehow, I get a bad feeling about...

Rikku: (Dressed in her black mage outfit) Luin, time to play that game...

Sandstone: (Turning red) Uhm... adult content! (Uses vast author powers to censor the rest of the A/N) Damn it Rikku, couldn't you keep that off the story? Geez.

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Besaid Sphere, part two:

Lulu called out, "Good morning."

Yuna looked around, then asked, "Oh, where's Wakka?" I nudged Rikku, and she slightly nudged me back, but paid more attention. Lulu responded, "He left at daybreak. He said something about a cave."

Rikku said incredulously, "A cave? I wonder what he's up to."

Yuna asked Lulu "Want us to go find out?"

Rikku eyed me, then said, "Yeah, there might be fiends." Silently, she grinned at me. She probably was thinking of the same thing I was – sphere, and Wakka was looking for it (his parents, possibly).

Lulu smiled, and said lightly, "Thanks. Though, I doubt he'd have trouble handling a few fiends. Still, I'm a little worried. It's not like Wakka to hide things."

Yuna frowned slightly, a puzzled look on her face. "That's funny. I don't remember there being any cave."

I blinked once, and said mildly, "Could be in those ruins…"

Lulu paused, then said, "It's possible. I don't know much about it either. Would you mind asking around?"

I grinned, then looked pointedly at Yuna. "I think I've got a better idea, but sure."

Lulu nodded, then walked back inside her place.

Paine looked at myself and Yuna, and asked, "A better idea?"

I said in a bright tone, "Woof."

Yuna frowned in confusion, then laughed. "Arsnakra and Balrog? You want them to track Wakka's scent?"

I grinned at her. "Got a better idea?"

Yuna smiled helplessly, and spherechanged into her pokemon trainer dressphere. Her outfit was familiar – she kept the jean-shorts that she had in her usual outfit, as well as the belt (with six pokeballs on her waist). Her top was an older look – the top of her 'summoner's outfit', as Rikku called it now. She even had the sleeve-things on her arm (they weren't connected to the shirt), but they weren't trailing and long, instead they were skin-hugging, and a brilliant blue. She reached for the one solid-looking pokeball at her waist, and threw it. Arsnakra popped out, and growled, "Arc?"

Arsnakra… she's an Arcanine I had a long time ago. When I was about eleven or twelve, she was one of my pokemon. I gave her to a cousin as a 'take care' gift, because she was starting out her training days. The two of them had always gotten along well… I'd lost contact with her, but Arsnakra had been listed as one of my available pokemon, so I'm assuming the worst. I knew my immediate family was dead, but it was possible my extended family was alive… I'm drifting again. I can't go back. That 'reality ripping' ability of mine hasn't resurfaced, and I think I've only used it twice, so maybe it only had so many uses.

I released Balrog, and the two canine pokemon sniffed around. I said to the two of them, "We're looking for Wakka. Try to smell for recently, about this morning… going out of the village."

The two of them walked out of the village, occasionally stopping to sniff at something. We followed them easily.

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As we walked down the path, I heard a buzz, then Brother asked in my ear (the communicator – Rikku had remembered just as we set down), "Any trouble?"

Yuna responded, "We're fine. How about you guys?"

Brother moaned, "My heart...is aching..."

Yuna asked, "Huh?"

Brother seemed to realize he'd screwed up, and quickly said, "Ahh, nothing."

I rolled my eyes, and looked at Rikku. She had a disgusted look on her face. True, there technically wasn't anything wrong with it, but Rikku was protective of her 'big sister' Yuna. That, and she'd probably rather see Yuna reunited with Tidus (if that was possible). Even though I'm technically Yuna's brother, while Rikku's her cousin… we both try to take care of her sometimes, even if she can take care of herself.

A few fiends attacked us, but we pushed them aside without too much trouble. Balrog or Arsnakra had no problem killing fiends with Flamethrowers, but they rarely did that, letting Paine 'have some fun'.

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The comlink buzzed again, and Yuna said, "Yuna here."

Silence responded, and after a few moments, she said, "Huh. That was weird."

After another few seconds, Buddy said over the link, "It's nothing."

I said softly, "Buddy, is a certain idiot bored, and playing with the radio?"

A chuckle was all the answer I needed.

Balrog and Arsnakra led us to a metal doorway. I turned to Yuna, and said, "Well?"

She studied the door, the keypad, and then sighed. "I guess we need the combo."

I shrugged, and pulled a pokeball. "Rikku?"

She grinned, spherechanged, and released Vib, while I released Erastrani. "Or we need a few Hyper Beams to blast the door out of the way."

I heard Paine chuckle, and I turned to her, an eyebrow arched. She was actually laughing?

She shook her head, and said, "It's nothing. I just thought that Rikku would try something like that."

Rikku pouted, then ordered, "Hyper Beam, Vib! Break down that door!"

Vib shot a Hyper Beam at the door, blowing it off its hinges, and sent it flying inside. I heard Wakka shout, and poked my head in. He'd ducked the flying door only by diving out of the way. Meanwhile, the Tropius I'd provided him with was simply standing there, apparently greatly amused by the events. "You could've took it easy, ya?"

I shrugged helplessly, and returned my pokemon to their balls. "It was in the way."

He rolled his eyes, got into a more normal seated position, then asked, "So, what are you here for?"

Yuna said brightly (Arsnakra was still standing beside her), "We came to check on you." Wakka looked nonplussed for a moment, then laughed – I got the humor, though. After all, our 'checking on him' might have killed him. Eh, he didn't die, so it doesn't matter.

Rikku looked around, asking, "Is there something in this cave?"

Wakka said slowly, "Uh, yeah...something like that. Who knows, maybe it's not here, ya? But I thought, "what if..." Maybe it's for real. Then again, maybe it never was. Been

so long, I'm not sure anymore."

We all remained quiet for a short while. What he'd said was so confusing, we needed time to translate that in our minds. Paine managed to understand him first, and asked, "So, you're saying there's something that might be here, and you want to know for sure. Right?"

Wakka nodded. "Right. But you see...I wanna know, and then I sorta don't wanna know."

Rikku sighed, then looked at me, in a way stumped by his actions. "Aw, man, make up your mind! What is this thing, anyway?"

Wakka paused to consider, then said slowly, "Well, uh... See, I heard there was this old sphere."

Rikku asked, "A sphere? Of what?"

Before Wakka could respond, I said dryly, "His parents, or so he hopes."

Wakka nodded slowly. Paine started to walk further into the cave, and I started to follow. Wakka shouted, "Hey, whoa!"

Paine dryly said, "We're sphere hunters, remember?"

I added, "And I can't stand anyone being unsure."

Wakka blinked, then stared at me. Rikku and Yuna walked over, Rikku saying confidently, "It's as good as ours!"

Yuna looked over at Rikku, and said with a smile, "All right, Gullwings..."

Rikku laughed, and finished, "Time for business!" She grabbed my hand, and ran forward into the cave.

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Wakka laughed, taking a seated position again. Those three… all three of them had changed a lot. Icewind… no, Luin was a lot more relaxed, Rikku was… well, more mature, but still Rikku… and Yuna was looking a lot better. Luin had worked hard to help her, and secretly, Wakka was glad that he'd gone through what he had. He'd managed to work a miracle with Yuna in his eyes.

He laughed again, then said in an amused tone, "The Gullwings, huh? Kinda feel sorry for the guy."

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Brother's voice buzzed in after we'd killed off a bunch of fiends, "This is Brother. You all right, Yuna?"

Yuna replied, "Yessir!"

Rikku said to Yuna, "Just ignore him." I grinned at her, and said, "I've got a better idea. Buddy?"

Buddy responded after a moment, "Yeah?"

"Could you do me a favor, and slug Brother for me?"

There was a smacking sound, and the link went dead. I laughed, as it buzzed to life for a moment, Buddy saying, "I wanted to do that anyway…", and it went dead again. Paine had a smirk on her face. "That'll keep him quiet."

Rikku giggled, while Yuna looked confused, before shaking it off, walking onward.

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Yuna examined the sphere, and smiled. "Well, that wasn't too hard." A growl from behind us made her turn, (as well as the rest of us), and Paine said "Find a sphere and the fiends appear."

I rolled my eyes. "Looks like one ugly Charizard, hold the wings. Yuna, why not use Arsnakra?"

Yuna turned to the Arcanine, who was 'smiling' as she stepped in front of her (Yuna). With a growl, she threw herself forward. The lizard/dragon seemed alarmed at her charge, and froze. I shouted, "Intimidate! Everyone, hit it hard!"

Rikku and Paine changed into Black Mages, and I followed them, jumping up.

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Luin appeared wreathed in flames, looking like a flaming specter for a moment, before the fires died. He had a black trench coat that was open, revealing a black shirt and vest underneath, along with black pants. He had a staff about as tall as he was gripped in his right hand, topped with a gem that glimmered with a frozen light inside, almost like a beam of lightning-ice. The body of the staff was composed of a dark blue metal. His blue hair was sticking up like he was covered in static electricity.

Rikku and Paine shouted "Freeze!", and Blizzard spells struck the fire-breather, hitting it with icy chill. Luin pointed his staff at it, and said calmly, "Powder Snow."

Streams of wind-blown snow struck the fiend, issuing from the gem. It looked fairly silly compared to the more-damaging Blizzard spell, but the lizard slowed a great deal, the fire it was shooting at Arsnakra (who was dodging using Yuna's called advice, and Agility) becoming a great deal weaker. The snow around the fiend was melting, but it was freezing the fiend at the same time.

Paine changed into her normal dressphere, shouted "Ice Brand", and struck the dragon in the chest. It retaliated by striking at her with a claw, but she blocked it with her sword (she was sent back a few feet, though). Arsnakra rushed in, and hit it with a Take Down. The fiend hissed, and Rikku shouted, "Blizzard", finishing it off.

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Yuna said happily, "One more for the Gullwings!", as she picked it up. I wasn't paying too much attention, I was staring at Rikku. While Paine looked sorta normal in her Black Mage outfit, Rikku's was a skin-hugging fabric (black) that literally left nothing to the imagination at all. She might as well be wearing a thong and a bra, for all it covered. And made that bra a wedding bra, you get the idea. It had a 'miniskirt' of black leather around her waist, but the thing was maybe a few inches long, if that. Rikku stopped, looked at me questioningly, then looked over herself. "What?"

Paine rolled her eyes. "Change back before… Icewind goes crazy." She said in a disgusted tone, "Men."

Rikku pouted, and spherechanged back. "Aw…"

As we turned, Arsnakra growled, and I narrowed my eyes. A man in a suit with a red R predominately sprayed on his chest was sneering at us. "Well, aren't we a cute bunch? Nice outfit, by the way…"

Suicune let herself out, and stood beside me. I took one aggressive step forward, and growled, "So, I didn't get every last Rocket…"

The man turned to me, and his eyes narrowed. "So, you survived, did you? No matter, we shall get our revenge…" He faded, disappearing. I swung for him, but my fist flew through empty air. I said raggedly, "fuck. Fucking hell. Damn it all to Groudon's fiery lair…"

Yuna asked worriedly, "Who was that?"

I hissed, then sighed. Normally, I'd have Rikku's Black Mage outfit on my mind (hey, we're lovers, I can think about her all the time…), but this made everything else seem minor in my mind. "A Rocket." At Yuna's uncomprehending look, Rikku explained, "The crime gang he took on? The ones in his sphere…"

Yuna thought it over, then nodded. Paine asked, "Is this bad news?"

I nodded. How had they done that? Unown? It took over a hundred to make a gateway, and those pokemon were RARE… unless Suicune was wrong, which was unlikely. "Very bad, if we hear that they show up for sustained periods. I'll explain on the way to the next place."

Rikku looked over at me, a concerned expression on her face. "You'll be ok, right?"

I nodded quietly. Mewtwo, or a very large gang of Rockets could take me, but few others. And gateways could only support a few people, maybe a small squad. For the Rockets to invade Spira, they'd need more Unown than I suspected existed currently. "I don't think he'll show up again soon. Suicune and the others are far too strong to be threatened by one Rocket, even an executive. But we'll need to keep an ear out for them popping up. I don't like this."

We walked over to where Wakka was. He asked, "Find anything?"

Rikku half-heartedly responded, "We did."

Yuna clicked on the sphere without a word. It showed the location of a few treasure chests on the island, but nothing else.

Rikku asked, "This it?"

Wakka waived his hand airily. "Nah, 'fraid not."

We walked along the bridge way to the village, the waterfalls providing a nice backdrop. Rikku and I had quietly settled on how to explain it, and she was a lot more energetic again. She asked, "So, what sphere were you looking for?"

Wakka looked over at me, and he sighed. "Well... It's a sphere of our parents. Chappu said he found it."

Rikku paused for a moment. "Chappu?" I levelly looked at her, and she sent me a quiet look of begging – Wakka really didn't talk about him much. I mouthed 'brother', and she exclaimed, "Oh, your brother!"

Wakka nodded, and said glumly "He was a Crusader. Now he's gone on to the Farplane. Sin got our parents not long after Chappu was born. We were too young to remember their faces, you know? When we were kids, we got into a fight one time and Chappu said: "I found a sphere with mom and dad in it, but I'm not telling you where it is.""

Yuna asked sadly, "And you never asked him?"

Wakka shook his head bitterly. "I was too boneheaded to let my little brother win. So I went on without asking until I just forgot about it. Then yesterday, talking with you made me think about it again. Chappu used to play in this cave, so I thought maybe he found the sphere here, ya? But when I came to look...I got to thinking…" I shot quickly, "always a dangerous occupation…"

Wakka scowled at me. After a few seconds, he said, "See, I got this picture of my parents in my head, ya? Strong, and kind... Whenever things got tough, those are the parents I imagined. But their real faces might be totally different, ya? I think about that and I'm not so sure I really wanna know. I was sittin' there trying to figure out what to do. And then you guys showed up."

I smirked, but Rikku tapped me, saying brightly, "That's our Wakka."

Yuna said, "The sphere might still be somewhere on the island. Should we look for it?"

I looked to Wakka, and mentally bet with myself.

Wakka waved her off. "Nah, that's all right. I'm through worrying about that stuff. What's past is past, ya? Can't let it get to me. I'm going to be a father soon. Gotta pull it together!"

Rikku giggled, and said, "That's right, Dad."

Wakka laughed, and raised his hand triumphantly, before he lowered it, and said slowly, "But, uh... Just how am I supposed to pull it together? Sure wish I had something to go by, you know?"

I sighed, and shook my head along with Paine and Rikku. "Wakka, even people who have something to go by have trouble. Just…" I chuckled wickedly, and said, "Do your best. It's all you can do."

Wakka arched an eyebrow, and then chuckled weakly. The comlinks buzzed, and I heard Buddy say in an irritated tone, "You read me? You guys about finished down there? Brother's starting to get on my nerves."

Yuna said lightly, "Yeah, we'll be back soon."

Brother shouted joyously "Yay!"

I asked, "Buddy?"

Buddy said, "It helped. But you owe me a beer." I laughed, and said, "Sure. I'll buy you a few."

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A/N:

Sandstone: Sorry folks, no lemon, no lime. There will be mentions of sex (hey, they are in their late teens), but I won't be graphic about it. And since Calc 2 and physics are getting harder, updates will definately be at random intervals.