They made it to Home just before the sandstorm got worse and landed at the air base. It was the highest point in Home and was on the rooftop of a large oval structure, called the Central, that contained an elevator and the home of the most important people.
The only Al Bhed that were at the air base that day was Cid and some of the Specials. They were all surprised to see Rikku's airship. They weren't expecting Wen and Kinah to be back so soon.
The engine of the airship had gone quiet after it landed and the hatch at the back opened. Everyone at the air base gathered at the open hatch. They all knew what it meant if Kinah and Wen were the only ones inside. Cid was tempted to run inside the airship and find out who was there.
The first to come out of the airship was Wen and Kinah. They looked so serious that Cid and the Specials assumed the worst. Just as they did, Tidus and Rikku came out of the airship and all the Specials began to cheer.
As soon as Rikku got off the ramp the Specials all surrounded her, asking her lots of questions about where she was and what happened in the last few days.
Cid greeted Wen and Kinah and thanked them for saving Rikku. When Rikku got to Cid he looked relieved to see that she was alive although he did not look happy.
"Hi ya, pops!" Rikku said cheerfully. Tidus stood a few steps behind Rikku.
"You almost gave me a heart attack when I heard you got sent to the piranha pool!" Cid said. Tidus couldn't tell if he was in a good mood or not. He always seemed in a bad mood. The last time Tidus spoke to Cid, he got a lecture for acting like a kid.
"Uhm hi." Tidus said, unsure of how to greet Cid. Cid stood in front of Tidus and looked him in the eye.
"I know what you and Rikku did." Cid said in an intimidating voice. Tidus gulped.
"You're lucky I tweaked the story a bit before all the Al Bhed found out!" Cid said to Rikku. She and Tidus weren't too sure if they should thank him so they both said nothing.
"Don't think I'll let this fly so easily though! I just have to figure out what to do with blonde here!" Cid said to Rikku in Al Bhed. Rikku stood next to Tidus.
"I go where he goes!" Rikku yelled in Al Bhed. Cid grunted and walked away from them.
"Let's go." Rikku said as she walked towards an elevator. Tidus followed her, admiring at the view of Home from the air base.
Most of the structures in Home were large and metallic. It looked like a small machina city with small indoor shops and restaurants and two-story houses.
"What's up with that guy?" Tidus asked, referring to Cid as if he were someone else.
"Why help us so that you can punish us yourself? I don't get him either sometimes." Rikku said. Tidus laughed.
When they got to the elevator, Tidus took one last look at the view from the top.
"We can come back here any time." Rikku said. Tidus nodded and entered the elevator with Rikku.
The number of buttons in the elevator's control panel immediately got Tidus' attention.
"Whoa! How many floors does this place have?" Tidus asked.
"Not all of them are floors, silly! The top half is a keypad." Rikku said, pointing at the small screen and card reader at the top of the buttons. "Some floors are reserved because people live there, like me."
Rikku pressed a button close to the top and the elevator doors closed. They went a floor down.
The elevator doors opened, revealing a narrow wooden pathway with a grand door at the far end.
"Hey, don't you wanna check out the town?" Rikku asked, stepping out of the elevator.
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Tidus replied with a question.
"Of course not! It's just that I'm not allowed to bring you to this floor." Rikku said nervously. She thought for a while and then gave him a key card.
"You can hang out at my place. It's on the floor just below this one." Rikku said, pointing at a button on the control panel of the elevator. "The code is YELLOW KITTEN. Don't lose the card or I'll kill you!"
The elevator doors closed before Tidus got a chance to protest. Rikku sighed and shook her head.
"Glad he's out of the way." Rikku said to herself. She walked down the pathway and stopped at the wooden door. She took a few deep breaths in and exhaled as she pushed open the large doors.
The room she entered was a large office that formed part of a home. It had large screen windows at the far end which had a grand view of the entire city. A large desk, laden with papers, was close to the window.
Rikku closed the door after she entered. She stayed at the door, still trying to decide whether to leave or not.
At the desk, a guy with a very bad temper was seated in a big black office chair. He was talking to someone using a sphere and didn't even notice Rikku come in.
"Why isn't the package on my desk yet? Sandstorm? I'm sure you'll use that excuse when you're late for your own funeral!" He said. He threw the sphere at a wall and it broke into pieces. Rikku got a fright and squeaked a little.
He ran his fingers through his long bleach-blond hair that seemed to reach the edge of his seat. He seemed to be in a trance of pure anger when he spun around on his chair and slammed his hands on his desk. It was only then that he saw Rikku.
His bright green Al Bhed eyes seemed to pierce through her soul as he calmed down almost immediately after seeing her.
"Rikku!" He said cheerfully and went around the desk to get to her.
"Maybe I should come back later." Rikku said, frightened by him. She already had her hands on the door but it was too late. He had already reached her.
He grabbed her by the hips and pressed his lips against hers forcefully.
*o*o*o*
Rikku's apartment was fairly large. Most of the walls and furniture was yellow and gold and the large screen windows brightened it all up further.
Tidus was bored out of his mind. He roamed around Rikku's home and looked at the pictures on the walls.
He found one wall of pictures in her bedroom a little odd. It had several pictures of just Rikku with an Al Bhed guy. Tidus found it entertaining to make fun of the man's hair even though they were both blond.
In front of the wall, just below the pictures, was a big white box with a big pink ribbon on the top. Tidus didn't mind taking a peek inside. After all, Rikku wasn't there to stop him.
He looked at the bedroom door and then looked back at the box. Crouching by the box, he could hardly see the door because a wardrobe was in the way.
"Let's see what we have here." Tidus said as he lifted the lid.
A white and lacy material filled the box. He had no idea what it was so he proceeded to take whatever it was out of the box to get a better look at it.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
Tidus dropped the box's contents and turned around quickly. He sighed with relief when he saw that it was Kinah. He was still in trouble.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kinah asked as she leaned in the doorway with her arms folded.
"Well, what are you doing here?" Tidus asked boldly, trying to challenge her question.
Kinah stormed towards him. He was almost certain he was going to get slapped.
Tidus jumped away from the box and stood up when Kinah got to it. She gave him a dirty look before kneeling down to close the box.
She stood up and folded her arms. He scratched the back of his head with a dumb grin on his face.
"You are going to be in so much trouble when I tell Rikku." Kinah said firmly.
"Hey, you aren't supposed be here either. I can because she gave me her key card, see?" Tidus said, showing the key card Rikku gave him.
"I'm a Special. I can go wherever I want." Kinah said proudly. "Anyway, that key card doesn't permit you to go searching through her stuff, especially her private belongings."
"Sorry." Tidus said.
"I'm not the one you need to be apologising to." Kinah said coldly.
"What makes you think I'll tell Rikku?" Tidus asked, raising his voice a little.
"What makes you think I won't?" Kinah asked. "Let's make a deal."
"What kind of deal?" Tidus asked. Kinah thought for a while.
"Help me with some errands and I won't tell Rikku what you did." Kinah said finally.
"That's it? Okay!" Tidus replied.
Kinah headed out and Tidus followed. He didn't know what he agreed to but he had a feeling it would be exciting.
They both entered the elevator. Kinah pressed one of the buttons at the bottom and the elevator doors closed took them downstairs.
When the elevator doors opened again, they both stepped out into the town. It was very dusty but people still went on with their lives. Most of the people had already changed into their Al Bhed gear.
The streets were not very crowded and some people were on chocobos. Kinah and Tidus walked past a few shops and houses in the silver and sandy streets and stopped in an alley.
"The first thing we have to do is locate our target." Kinah said. "His name is Squii. He deals machina and weapons illegally. We have to find him and stop him."
"Okay. Sounds easy enough." Tidus said.
"There's a rumour going around that he knows how to use the machina and weapons he sells." Kinah said with intensity in her voice. "That's why they assigned me to this job. They can't risk an ordinary law enforcer even if it's just a rumour."
"So he scares everybody, I get that but where are we going to find this guy?" Tidus asked. Kinah looked around them to make sure they weren't being watched, followed or listened to.
"He is going to make a deal with one of the shop owners this afternoon. All we have to do is wait for the shop owner to come out and then we will follow him." Kinah said. "He might use a hidden pathway. There's lots of unused alleys around here."
Tidus followed Kinah to the back of a shop. They hid in one of the many narrow alleys at the opposite street. Most of the buildings weren't close together.
"There he comes!" Kinah whispered. Tidus stayed close behind Kinah and followed her lead.
"Just follow my lead and don't attack him even if he runs." Kinah whispered.
They followed the shop owner all the way to the outskirts of the city. The weather was far better now but it was still very hot and humid.
The shop owner went further out into the desert and stopped at a tent that camouflaged with the sand. Rikku and Tidus hid behind a sand hill and watched the shop owner.
He whistled at the entrance of the tent. A short man in Al Bhed gear came out of the tent.
"That's Squii!" Kinah whispered. "After the shop owner gets what he needs and goes, we swoop into action."
Tidus grinned and got ready to run.
Squii spoke to the shop owner a bit and shared a few laughs before getting a box from the tent. He took a large amount of gil from the shop owner before giving him the box. The box had pictures of vegetables on it and a label with the word "supplies" on it.
The shop owner exchanged goodbyes with Squii and took a different route back to Home.
"Shouldn't one of us go after him?" Tidus asked.
"It's not necessary. I already know which shop he is the owner of." Kinah said. "I'll come back later and inspect his equipment."
"You can do that?" Tidus asked, surprised.
"Specials can do anything. Cid and Rikku trust that each Special won't take advantage of that." Kinah said.
She looked at the shop owner and then back at Squii, gauging their distance.
"It's time! Go round to the back of his tent and don't let him see you." Kinah commanded. "I'll go see him face to face. If he tries to get a weapon, attack him!"
Kinah and Tidus went into action. Tidus went to the back of his tent, just as Kinah instructed, and crouched. He looked out at the front and saw Kinah approach the tent.
Kinah whistled just like the shop owner did. Squii grumbled and came out.
"What is it now? I gave you what you ordered!" Squii said. He only realised it was Kinah when he came out.
"What order? I didn't get mine." Kinah said sarcastically. Squii grumbled again and tried to punch Kinah who was far taller than him.
She blocked it easily and didn't even have to move from where she was standing. Squii tried to go back to his tent to fetch a weapon. Tidus sprinted from behind the tent and tackled him to the ground, almost knocking him out.
Kinah quickly got out machina cuffs from her item bags and put them on Squii's wrists. Tidus got off him and dusted off his hands.
"That was easy." Tidus said. Kinah smiled in agreement.
Kinah walked over to Squii and kicked him in the ribs.
"Get up! You're going away for a very long time!" Kinah said. Squii stumbled to his feet and Kinah pushed him to make him walk. "Don't even think of running from the guy who almost took you out in one move."
Tidus and Kinah took Squii to a place set aside for criminals. One of the other Specials was there to question him.
Afterwards, Kinah showed Tidus around the city before heading back to the Central.
On their way to the Central they saw a group of people gathered at a large public sphere screen. Many others left what they were doing to join the others at the sphere screen. Kinah and Tidus also went to see what it was all about.
"Good day! I'm Boba with your news!" The reporter on the sphere screen said.
"They never show news at this time of the day." Kinah said. "This could only be something bad. An attack from Sin, maybe."
Tidus looked at Kinah and all the other Al Bhed watching the sphere screen. They all looked really tense and worried. He continued watching.
"We have received some very exciting news directly from the Maester." The news reporter said. Tidus tensed up. "Master Seymour and Lady Yuna are getting married!"
If you listened closely you could hear Cid screaming from the central.
Tidus couldn't hide what he felt. He clenched his hands into fists. Kinah could feel the heat from his body from just standing near him as his anger grew. She wondered what he was thinking and feared what he might do.
"Tidus," Kinah said softly. "Wasn't she your-"
Kinah stopped talking when she realised how furious he really was.
Everyone else wasn't as bothered as Tidus was. The Al Bhed couldn't care less what the Guado's did unless it affected them. Almost all of the people that gathered at the sphere screen had gone back to what they were doing. Eventually, it was only Tidus and Kinah standing there.
Kinah didn't know what to say to Tidus because, like the other Al Bhed, the news didn't bother her. Also, Kinah wasn't the type who got emotional when someone else was upset.
"Tidus, listen," Kinah said as she stood in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "I need you to calm down."
Tidus completely ignored Kinah and listened to what else the news reporter had to say.
"Preparations have already begun and Tromell Guado has confirmed that the wedding will be taking place at the grand temple at Bevelle at sunset." The news reporter said. Tidus clenched his fists harder.
"How fast can we get there?" Tidus asked. Kinah could only think that he was out of his mind.
"You aren't seriously thinking of going there, are you? It will take a day or two and even if we do get there on time, they aren't going to welcome us with flowers and roses." Kinah said. She kept a close watch on his body language.
"Like I care!" Tidus yelled. At this point, all he wanted was to stop Yuna from marrying Seymour.
"Why do you want to crash their wedding anyway? Aren't you with Rikku now?"Kinah asked. He didn't have a reason to. It just angered him that Yuna would move on so fast and with Seymour of all people.
"I don't want to let him win! It's his fault that Yuna and I had a fight!" Tidus yelled.
"What are you talking about? You really need to calm down." Kinah said. Tidus told Kinah what caused him and Rikku to be sent to Via Purifico. Kinah was shocked.
"When Cid sent my father and I to rescue you and Rikku, he only told us that you and her had been wrongfully sent to Via Purifico because you were both accused of using forbidden machina." Kinah said. "That's what he told everyone. It's what people here at Home know."
Tidus threw a fit.
"I can't believe this guy! I need to get to Bevelle!" Tidus said.
"You can't go there! It will probably be too guarded and if you cause a riot at their wedding then people around here are going to stop believing Cid's story." Kinah yelled. "That would have a big impact on Rikku's reputation."
"We'll go somewhere else! This isn't the only place in Spira!" Tidus protested. Kinah was getting really annoyed.
"The reality is that it's better if you do nothing." Kinah said coldly, releasing her hands from his shoulders.
"But I don't wanna do nothing!" Tidus whined.
"Quit acting like a child!" Kinah complained.
"Are you going to help me or not?"
"Of course not! Why would I want to help you? I'm not going to go along with your immature wedding-crashing plans!" Kinah yelled.
Just as Kinah was about to walk away, a small airship landed right in the middle of the town. Kinah pulled Tidus into an alley.
Wen came out of the airship. He had a large machina gun that he held with both hands.
"It's just your old man." Tidus said.
"I'm not supposed to be here. We both aren't supposed to be here! He can't see us together!" Kinah said quickly.
"Why not?" Tidus asked.
"I'm not supposed to tell you this but," Kinah whispered, "Wen is here because Cid wants you dead!"