(A/N - Whaddya know, I'm on a roll. I took this stuff away with me on holiday - away from work, home and everything and hardly did anything! Okay I did a little, like finally work out a plot line (believe it or not!) but as for actual story writing - nothing, nada, zip and naff-all! Alright so the back of a Volvo in seriously limited space isn't the ideal environment to be creative in!
And so the story continues… This Chapter's a little here, there and everywhere - I hope you can keep up with the changing locations and perspectives! I also hope that I've got everything as accurate as possible as this is my main goal throughout everything! Please, please, PLEASE let me know if you think I've tried to cram too much into this one chapter and I'll try better next time!
I was a little doubtful as to whether there was a Travel Agency in the Calm Lands for a while, but low and behold - there is! Thank the heavens for strategy guide books! I will be referring to that book a LOT!
As always, reviews are gold-dust! Please let me know how I'm doing! thankyou thankyou thankyou ^_^ Doms xxx)
An Ending
Chapter 3
Rikku watched Besaid beech disappearing into the distance for as long as her eyes would focus on the small patch of sand. When the Cargo door finally clunked shut, she turned sadly straight into the watchful gaze of Paine, arms in their usual place folded tightly over her chest. Seeing Rikku's tear streaked face, she softened, lowering her arms to her sides.
"Things will be alright Rikku." She said encouragingly. "It's not like you're never going to see her again! Yuna wouldn't let that happen."
"Yeah, I know…" Rikku sniffed. "But still, I'm really gonna miss her! He'd better take good care of her!"
"He will, but I think, after everything, perhaps Yuna has proved that she can take care of herself?" Paine smiled. Rikku laughed and nodded in agreement.
"I guess you're right."
"Guys, you wanna come up here? We need our directions!" Buddy's voice echoed around the engine room via the intercom.
"That would be you." Paine pointed out with a smile.
"Right again Doctor P! We're on our way!" Rikku called back.
Rikku and Paine walked onto the Bridge to find Brother's seat vacant.
"Where's our noble Captain?" Paine asked dryly, walking down to stairs furthest from Shinra who sat quietly contemplating a sphere of Yuna dancing in Luca not long after they had recovered her dress-sphere from LeBlanc.
"Sulking!" Buddy called from his seat. "We're on Auto-pilot for the moment."
"Ah, that's why we're still airborne!" Rikku muttered.
"Hey! I am hearing this!" Brother's voice came via the intercom. "And I am not sulking - I am grieving for my lost Yuna!"
"Huh!?" Rikku turned to Buddy for an explanation.
"When he found out that Yuna wasn't coming with us, he went off on one!" Buddy explained.
"I did not!" Brother shouted back.
"Can you cut him off?" Paine asked, cringing and covering her ears.
"Done!" Shinra replied simply, pressing a sequence of buttons on his console.
"Thank you." Paine smiled, relieved.
"Yeah, well… he's not the only one who's sad that Yunie's gone, we all are, right?"
Buddy and Paine nodded.
"I'm going to miss her…" Shinra sighed ending the sphere he was watching for the third time.
"We all are, but the job still needs doing!" Rikku nodded firmly. Paine watched her with a smile. "Those crates aren't going to deliver themselves and people are paying us good money to make sure they get to where they're needed! So how's about we get this show on the road!"
"Yes ma'am!" Buddy smiled in agreement, saluting her. "And our first port of call is…?"
"Oh, right!" Rikku quickly scrambled about in her pocket for the checklist. "First port of call is… The Mi'ihen Highroad branch of Rin's Travel Agency."
"Great - and away we go!" Buddy announced.
"Hold it right there!" Brother panted from the doorway. "I am the Captain here! I announce where we are going!" He bent forward holding his chest as he caught his breath.
"So announce already!" Rikku groaned.
"Oh… ummm… uhhh… do what she said!" He mumbled, heading down the stairs and slinking past Rikku and Paine, both stood glaring at him with their arms folded across their chest as he took his seat.
The Celsius hovered at the edge of the cliff as the female Gullwings made the drop off at the Mi'ihen Highroad branch of Rin's Travel Agency.
"Delivery from the Gullwings Transport Service!" Rikku chimed as she pushed through the door closely followed by Paine. "One fresh delivery of fruit, straight from Besaid Island!" She smiled placing it down on the desk before one of the clerks.
"Wow, thank you so much, Mr. Rin only told us about the delivery an hour or so ago!" Nhala, the small, polite brunette smiled warmly.
"All part of the service." Paine added, sliding the crate she was carrying beside Rikku's.
"And your payment." She nodded handing over an envelope. Rikku took with thanks opening it and counted the notes silently to herself.
"Thank you very much!" She beamed back.
"Oh! I understand you have a delivery for the Calm Lands branch of our Agency? Mr. Rin will be waiting there for you, I think he has another package for you."
"Okay, thanks!" Rikku beamed as she followed Paine out of the door and toward the Celsius.
The ship soared with ease over the Thunder Plains, Macalania and Bevelle before the Calm Lands and Gullwings next delivery came into view.
Paine stood in quiet contemplation as Rikku turned in her seat to Brother's right hand side and hopped out, walking toward her.
"Paine? You wanna give me a hand sorting the stuff while these guys set us down?"
"Hmm? Oh, yeah… sure…" She replied distantly.
Paine followed Rikku's lead into the lift and down once again to the Engine Room watching as Rikku slowly circled the crates in the ships hold check the reference numbers against her list, eventually patting the top of the right one.
"Here we are!" She smiled looking over the Paine. Seeing her friends face, her smile faded. "Paine?"
"Rikku… I'm not sure how to tell you this but, I've been thinking…" Paine began quietly.
"Good thinking…? Or bad thinking…?" Rikku cringed. Paine smiled.
"I'll let you decide. When we land in the Calm Lands… I'm not coming back on board."
Rikku gasped.
"Not you too!" She dropped her head to the left looking upset. Paine walked slowly toward her swinging her arms by her sides.
"Some of the things Yuna said last night… they struck a chord with me. I have… issues, from my past, that continue to be unresolved. I owe it to myself and to my old friends to at least try and do something… even if I'm not sure what that is yet."
Rikku furrowed her brow and sighed heavily, closing her eyes sadly.
"Baralai, Gippal and Nooj, right?" She asked without looking up.
"Right…" Paine nodded. "Rikku, I'm sorry, I know this isn't a good time…"
"It's alright… really, I understand!" She smiled back looking up. "You have to do what you have to do, for your friends! I know if it was me I'd want to do something. Just promise you'll keep in touch, right?"
"Of course!" Paine nodded and stood awkwardly considering whether or not to hug her friend. Rikku picked up this awkwardness and quickly jumped in first giving her a quick embrace.
"Where will you go?" Rikku sniffed standing back again and trying to stay chirpy.
"It was as we were flying over Bevelle that I made my mind up so I think I'll probably go there and speak to Baralai first."
Rikku nodded.
"I'll miss you!" She smiled with a shrug, mock punching her friends arm.
The Celsius set down in the ample space of the Calm Lands not far from the Travel Agency. Rikku and Paine each took a small crate each and headed down the ramp once more. Walking through the doors, Rin greeted them with a broad smile.
"Ahh, the Gullwings. I've heard you did an excellent job delivering to the Mi'ihen Highroad branch! Keep this up and you'll be sitting pretty!"
"Nhala said something about another delivery…?" Rikku said dusting her hands down on her skirt as Rin took the crate from her and placed it on the counter, repeating the action with Paine.
"Ah, yes… very efficient is that girl! Here…" He said heading behind the reception desk. Rikku and Paine leant against it waiting for him. "At least you won't have to go far out of your way to deliver this one!" He grinned handing a small wrapped object to Rikku.
"Shinra!?" She looked at him, reading the name on the label.
"Indeed. An interesting item I discovered whilst on my travels. He was the first one I thought of!"
"Great… well, thanks!" Rikku raised an eyebrow looking at the oddly shaped package.
"And, of course, you will be needing this!" He continued handing their payment over to Paine.
"Thanks." She nodded.
"Take care!" Rin called as they headed out of the Agency.
The girls walked outside and paused to look around. Rikku glanced at Paine as she stared off into the distance, her hair blowing wildly in the strong breeze.
"You're certain?" Rikku's voice broke her thoughts after a brief silence, the young Al Bhed looked concerned.
"I'm certain." She nodded with a smile. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do… but it needs to be done!" She added finally.
"Then I wish you all the luck in Spira. Say hi to Baralai, Nooj and Gippal and… talk soon, okay?" She inclined her head slightly.
"I will! Take care, Rikku." Paine smiled, waving slightly as Rikku boarded the ship now totally alone and headed back to the Bridge.
"Hey guys, where's next?" Buddy called as the door whooshed open. He turned after a brief pause. "Huh? Rikku, where's Paine?"
"Staying." She replied simply, walking past Shinra to place the parcel from Rin before him and continuing to her seat.
"In the Calm Lands? That's... odd!" Buddy continued.
"Unfinished business." Rikku elaborated slightly.
"Unfin...?"
"Ahh, the Crimson Squad." Shinra butted in much to Rikku's relief. "She was the sphere-cam operator with the Crimson Squad, remember. Paine, Nooj, Baralai and Gippal encountered Shuyin for the first time within the Den of Woe. It was most likely their actions that ultimately released him and resulted in Vegnagun being resurrected. I believe she's going to make peace with her former allies."
"Pretty much what he said." Rikku shrugged nodding to Shinra as she took up her controls.
"Ooookay... So, where're we goin' now?"
"Looks like we've had a call from Djose Temple to collect some machina parts from the Sanubian Desert and drop them off with the Machine Faction." Rikku reported as she tapped her console for incoming messages.
"What's still on board?" Buddy continued.
"Mostly our supplies." Shinra reported. "We do have some deliveries for the Moonflow, but they're not urgent yet. We could head to the Sanubian Desert first, then make the drop after we've been to Djose?"
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Buddy nodded. "Well… oh great leader?" He looked up at Brother who was apparently miles away.
"Hmm? Oh, yes… yes. I am sure it is fine, whatever. I am too sad to care!"
Rikku glared up at him but bit her lip choosing to mumble 'Jackass' under her breath instead. Buddy stifled a chuckle and programmed in the co-ordinates for the desert.
Yuna smiled as she looked sideways to her right and caught Tidus grinning back at her. They were stood in the Valley, overlooking the river which flowed from Besaid's cliffs into the heart of the Island to the Promontory.
"Ready?" He asked with a grin.
"Ready!" She nodded and took his hand as they counted to three and hurled themselves off of the edge and down toward the water.
A loud splash echoed around them as they resurfaced, laughing happily.
"I can't believe you did that!" Tidus smiled.
"I guess some would call it your influence…" She smiled back, easily treading the water.
"Lulu?" He grinned.
"How did you…?"
"Lucky guess…" He smiled back rolling onto his back and slowly kicking his legs to propel him down the river. "Sounds like a Lulu-ish thing to say!"
"She's only trying to watch out for me!" Yuna smiled defensively and followed his lead downstream.
"I know, I know!" He nodded. "Y'know, I still can't believe that Lulu and Wakka are together - and have a baby! How… when…"
Yuna laughed.
"It's not really that complicated!" She shrugged. "Lulu and Wakka were always good friends, even if she didn't always show it. When I was young I often thought she was rather hard on him, especially after Chappu…" She paused, looking up at Tidus' face and clearing her throat. "The three of them were all good friends, then when Chappu left to join the Crusaders, he made Wakka promise that he'd always take good care of Lulu, no matter what happened. Naturally, Wakka agreed."
"Good old Wakka." Tidus nodded.
"When the news came of what had happened to Chappu, Wakka took up his role as promised without a second thought It was his brother's last wish... much to the annoyance of Lulu!" She chuckled. "Then they got closer during the Pilgrimage - constantly relying on each other, and their love and devotion to me and my mission. Afterward, they both found comfort in each other and I guess things blossomed from there…"
"But still… Lulu and Wakka? Weren't you, I don't know, surprised?"
"A little perhaps, at first… But I knew that they knew what was best for them. I was meant to be!" She smiled fondly.
"So... you ran away, huh?" He smiled after a short pause.
"What? Who told you that?" Yuna gasped at him.
"You think they'll stay long?" Wakka asked turning to Lulu as they stood down from the Promontory watching the two figures swim up the river toward them.
"Hard to say really." Lulu replied without looking at him. "Of course I hope they will choose to, but..."
"But?" Wakka moved so his entire body was facing her, arms wound tightly around his sleeping son.
"You have to remember that this is a strange time for both of them. Who can say what he has witnessed during his time on the farplane, if that is in fact where he went. But for Yuna, this is the first time she has been fully in control of her own destiny. I'll be interested to see how she copes after a lifetime of having her choices made for her."
"You mean the Summoner thing, huh?" Wakka looked back to Yuna and Tidus. Lulu nodded silently. "She'll be fine... I hope! I'll sure miss 'em both if they go away again."
"I think you're taking your role as father figure a little too far!" Lulu laughed softly.
"Hey, I'm just watchin' out for my little sister!" He replied. Lulu smiled warmly.
"I think one certainty is that she has learnt to care of herself!"