Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy, Squeenix, or any of the affiliates.
Rikku, Thursday April 11, 1912
As they approached the cabin door, Rikku held a finger up to her lips to signal Tidus' silence and rapped on the door that led to her room.
"One moment!" she heard Yuna's voice call.
"Ma'am, I'll have to ask you to hurry! There is trouble with the ship, I'm afraid we may have sprung a leak!" Rikku called, making her voice deep and authoritative as she could. She heard Yuna's shriek of shock from inside and the door swung open. Yuna stood there, her eyes wide with shock, her brown hair hanging loose around her shoulders. When she saw Rikku and Tidus doubled over with laughter, she let out a little huff and closed the door on them. This only made them laugh harder.
"Come on Yunie, it was only a joke!" Rikku called through the door.
"It's not funny! You know how much Uncle Cid's Titan story scared me!" she called back.
"She's a bit sensitive," Rikku whispered to Tidus.
"Miss Yuna, there is no reason to worry. This ship is unsinkable!" Tidus called. "I've seen every nook and cranny of this fine vessel and there is no way she would ever spring a leak." Rikku grinned at him, knowing A, that there was no way he could really know that, and B, that Yuna wouldn't be able to resist the sound of his voice. There was a sigh and the door opened.
"What do you want, cousin?" she asked.
"Tidus here has found us a way to entertain ourselves tonight. Are you interested?" Rikku asked with a grin. Yuna's eyes found Tidus and she gave a hesitant nod.
"Very well. Let me pull my hair up…"
"Leave it," Tidus instructed. "It becomes you." Yuna blushed and left the room with her hair down. Rikku, who only put her hair up when her mother forced her to, feigned offense.
"You never listen to me when I tell you to leave your hair down." Yuna shot her a glare and followed Tidus down the hall. Rikku laughed and watched them walk down the hall for a moment before remembering that she didn't know where they were going. She chased them down, making sure to watch where they turned a corner. As she barreled around, she ran into something very solid, knocking her off her feet. The only reason she didn't fall over was because the person she'd run into grabbed her arms and pulled her up right.
"Oh! I'm so sorry; I wasn't watching where I was going…" she trailed off as she looked up into the face of Major Masamune. Again, he looked amused.
"Are you all right, Miss Rikku?" he asked.
"I'm fine, thank you. I apologize." She made way to scoot around him, but he stepped in her path. This made her angry. She had apologized, what more could she do?
"Excuse me," she said tersely, trying to move around him again. Again, he blocked her path.
"Where are you going?" he asked. She leaned her head back so she could look him in the face. He towered over her by at least a foot.
"I hardly think that is any of your business," she snarled.
"Do you say that because you're going somewhere your father would forbid?"
She let out a huff of breath, trying to push past him, way past propriety. He didn't budge.
"You can't stop me from doing what I wish. I'm a grown woman and you are nothing to me. You are not my father, nor are you my husband so you have no say over what I do with my time, and I hardly think that this is appropriate!"
"Excuse me, sir, I'll have to ask you to let her pass." Tidus had come to her rescue. Though he stood a few inches shorter then the major, a fire burned in his eyes that made Rikku feel that he could be dangerous if he so wished.
"And who are you to tell me what to do?" he demanded.
"I'm a steward, sir. Is this man harassing you Miss? Would you like me to alert the Master at Arms?"
"Yes, I think that may be necessary," Rikku answered. The major let out an annoyed sigh.
"It's not necessary. I was just on my way." He finally allowed Rikku to slip past him and continued on his way down the hall.
"What was that all about?" Yuna asked.
"I honestly have no idea." They all stood in confused silence for a long time before Tidus grinned.
"Well, no point in worrying now. Let's be off." They started back down the hall again until they reached the elevator.
"Tidus!" the attendant exclaimed. "Who are these lovely young ladies? You've scored yourself some first class girls?"
"They may be first class, but they can understand every word you're saying," Tidus grinned.
"Ah, of course. My apologies ladies." The elevator went down several levels and when they left it, Rikku was shocked to find blank white walls. She looked around.
"Are we still in the passenger section?" she asked.
"Of course we are. I could get in a lot of trouble if I brought you to a restricted area. This is third class."
Rikku was shocked by the lack of décor. She'd assumed the entire ship was as grand as the first class. Everything down here was stark white and plain.
They went down another staircase, which Rikku noticed had a collapsible locked door to one side.
"What is that for?" she asked. There was nothing of the sort in the first class section. Tidus hardly even glanced at it as they walked past.
"It's incase the ship sinks," he said thoughtlessly.
"The abandon ship goes first, second, third class, women and children first. Stewards like myself are to lock the doors should we have to evacuate to keep the deck from flooding with lower class passengers." Rikku was shocked with this knowledge.
"That's perfectly barbaric! If the ship is going to sink, I hardly think it matters which class is in which boat!"
"You say that, Mi…Rikku, but not many others would. Not that it matters. The Titanic is unsinkable. The floodgates, passenger gates, and lifeboats are merely there because of maritime laws. God himself could not sink this ship." He spoke with such confidence in the ship Rikku had to believe him. Yuna however, spoke differently.
"You shouldn't challenge God," she said quietly. He smiled at her.
"We are perfectly safe, Miss Yuna. Even if, by some mad miracle, Titanic were to sink, I wouldn't let anything happen to you." Yuna smiled and flushed at the same time. They turned down another hallway and Rikku could hear the faint sound of music. The farther they walked, the louder it became, until finally, Tidus threw open a door and they were confronted with a mad house.
People were all jammed into the room. The smoke was visible in the low light and there was loud music and much dancing. Rikku was excited. She'd never seen such a party before. Everything she had ever attended with her parents had been stuffy and boring, but not this. This looked fun! She rushed right into the thick of it, finding a dancing partner easily. The man was easily Irish and very kind. He taught Rikku that dance the rest were doing and she found herself having fun. So much more fun then she could ever remember having.
They were now doing a dance that made the girl to spin over to the next man, so she danced with several different partners. She laughed as she spun from person to person. It was exhilarating, to be so free. She thought that it might be worth it to be third class if one was allowed to have so much fun. She spun to another, taking his hand and looking up to face him. She gasped in shock and stopped dancing as she looked up into the face of Major Masamune. She didn't move, staring at him until someone bumped into her and he pulled her out of the way of the dancing people. His mouth moved, but she couldn't tell what he was saying. She shook her head and made to move away. Had he followed her? His grip on her arm was tight, not allowing her to move away. He leaned down so his mouth was right next to her ear.
"So, this is where you were going. I must say, I hardly think your father would approve."
"Are you going to tell him?" she asked. She wasn't accusing, just curious. What exactly was it that he wanted with her?
"On the contrary, I had been going to ask you myself, but I do believe you were going to call the authorities."
She felt her heart rate pickup at the thought that he had wanted to spend time with her. She then immediately scolded herself, reminded of how arrogant he was. He must have felt her tense, because he continued to speak.
"I realize I must have made quite an ass of myself and I wish to apologize. I would be delighted if you would join me for dinner tomorrow." Rikku froze, unsure of what to do. She wasn't quite sure what his intentions were, but if he was trying to apologize, how could she deny him the right? The manners her mother had beat into her head since birth wouldn't allow her to refuse.
"Very well, then," she answered finally. He pulled away, kissed her hand, and disappeared into the crowd. She gasped, in a daze from the events that had transpired. A few minutes later, Tidus and Yuna appeared.
"The word is out that the party is about to be broken up," Tidus shouted. "I should get you girls back to your own section of the ship!" Rikku merely nodded, running off after them through the crowd. She had to push through many people and apologize on several occasions before she was out of the room. Tidus and Yuna were waiting for her, their hands clasped. Rikku glanced at them and raised her eyebrow a bit. Yuna blushed, but Rikku noticed she didn't release his hand.
"So, an eventful night, wasn't it?" she asked. Yuna nodded.
"That was some fun, wasn't it?" Tidus asked with a grin.
"The best night of my life," Rikku answered honestly.
Her mood diminished when they entered their room and found Rikku's parents waiting for them.
"Is something wrong?" Rikku asked.
"No, not at all. We wished to speak with you Rikku." She had a sudden break out of nerves. Whatever it was, she was sure she wasn't going to like it. Her mother looked far too pleased and that usually wasn't a good thing where Rikku was concerned.
"All right, I'll be out in a moment." Her parents left their room and Rikku turned to change.
"I have a bad feeling about this, Yunie," she sighed.
"I'm sure it will be fine," Yuna said, ever the confident one.
Rikku changed into a peach colored silk nightgown and threw on a dressing gown over it.
"Pray for me," she whispered dramatically to Yuna, who giggled, before entering her parent's room.
"Ah, Rikku take a seat," Arianna said with a smile. Rikku suspiciously lowered herself onto the deep red duvet across from her parents.
"What is it?" Rikku asked.
Arianna raised an eyebrow, suddenly looking testy.
"Why do you sound as if we've sentenced you to death?"
"I just have a bad feeling, mother."
Arianna sighed.
"You're so difficult. You shouldn't feel bad at all, we've got wonderful news for you!"
"Ari, maybe you ought to slow down and actually explain things," Cid said. Arianna beamed at her husband and turned back to Rikku.
"You know my friend Kari Thorne, correct? She had a son, do you remember?" Rikku nodded, still feeling suspicious. Why would her mother want to talk to her about a woman she'd met only once before? If Rikku remembered her son correctly, he'd been arrogant, obnoxious, and even a little bit mean. "He's a fine boy, her son, and he just graduated Dartmouth. He's going to be a lawyer."
"A fine station in life, that is," her father added. Rikku's heart was filling with dread. What were they getting at? Why did she care about this woman's son? What did it matter to her whether he was a lawyer or a street rat?
"Just the other day, your father received a letter from Gippal," Rikku took that to be the son, "and he has asked for your hand. After much deliberation, we have decided you will accept." Rikku felt her entire world tip over.
"You've decided that I will accept?" she repeated. How could they decide anything for her, especially something so important as marriage? Because they had power and she had none.
"Isn't it wonderful?" her mother gushed.
"No!" Rikku exclaimed. "It's not wonderful! It's awful. How can I be expected to marry one I don't love?"
Rikku's mother laughed out loud. "Love? What does marriage have anything to do with love?" The worst part was that she was completely serious.
"Marriage has everything to do with love!" Rikku exclaimed.
"You are so naïve, my daughter. Marriage is about getting you set in a good station for life. Marrying rich will set you up for life!"
"I don't care about marrying into wealth! I'd marry poor for love!" Rikku argued back. Her mother shook her head.
"You don't know what you say, dear. We're doing what's best for you. Don't you worry your silly little head. When we reach New York, you're going to accept his proposal and that is final. One day you'll thank me for this. Who knows, you might actually fall in love with Gippal."
Rikku let out a shriek of fury and exited the room, slamming the door behind her. Yuna sat on their bed, her eyes wide.
"I won't do it," Rikku insisted. "I won't marry someone I don't love. I'll throw myself overboard first."
"Don't be so dramatic," Yuna sighed. "Killing yourself won't do you any good." Rikku let out a huff of breath.
"Lets see if you say then when they set you up with someone you don't know or love," she hissed. Yuna paled at the thought. Rikku crawled into bed and faced the wall, staying completely silent until sleep overtook her at last.
----------------
A/N: Sorry, I could not resist the Gippal thing. I had to throw a wrench into the relationship right off the bat. It's kinda what I do…Reviews are wunnerful!