I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or Final Fantasy 10

Chapter 18

Rikku and the Moonflow 1

Walking down the Moonflow as it did, Vincent and Cloud took in the smell of greenery that seemed to permeate from every nook and cranny of this small stretch of road.

Not to far from Djose Temple, which was surrounded completely by stone, to smell the forestry for both men was a change of pace that was definitely needed. The Moonflow after all smelled alive, compared to the recent stench of death that was far to ingrained into both of their memories.

Their eyes taking in their memories, Tidus's words that summed up everything as they approached the Moonflow river itself was one of pure awe.

Pyre flies floating in and out of the flowers left and right with relative ease. The little bug like creatures gave the water an iridescent glow.

"They say that at night when you see the Pyre Flies dance among the waters of the Moonflow, it is like looking at a river of stars." Yuna said softly as she admired the view. Tidus beside her, the boy immediately as the idea came to him was shot down as three unanimous no's came from the three men beside them.

"Just one night..."

"No"

"Come on Auron!"

The older man chuckling he continued to shake his head as he kept walking. Leaving Tidus to stand there as Yuna giggles at the face he makes. "It is beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah. It's a shame we can't stay the night!" Tidus stated loudly. The others trying hard not to snicker as Auron turns, the blonde eeps in fear as he hides behind Yuna. The young woman giggling even more now, as Auron yanks him with a grab on his arm out from behind.

"Yuna! HELP!"

The young girl laughing even louder now as it busts out of her, the blonde smiled as he allowed himself to get pulled away from her. The others watching, they realized what the younger blonde of the two had done.

He was helping her to forget the incidents form Mushroom Rock Road. Despite smiling as she went through the meeting of the Fayth Ixion, Yuna had spent most of her time quiet. She was always ready to give a warm and gentle smile. But it would never meet her dual colored eyes.

Tidus acting as he did cheered her up immensely.

The smiles spreading, the youth paused alongside Wakka as they arrived at the sight of a large blue creature. Even Vincent who has been asleep for a long time paused at the vision of what was in his mind an immense elephant.

"WHOA!"

"What never seen Shoopuf before?" Wakka asked impishly as he took in the creature with the elaborate seating upon its back. Auron already talking to one of the Hypellos about travel across, the blonde youth was as giddy as a school kid alongside Wakka.

"We are going to ride on that!"

"Ya," The blitzball player stated with a big smile. "It's been so long since I was last on one."

"Me to!" Yuna chirped happily. "When Kimahri was taking me to Besaid, I went across with the Shoopuff and fell in. It grabbed me with it's long snout and put me back in. It was so cool I jumped in two more times!"

The Ronso, giving a small smile at the memory, he still can't help but remember the little bit of fear he had. Only recently agreeing to take charge of the little girl, from a supposed dying man, the Ronso had been worried.

'Yuna scare Kimahri... Kimahri afraid Yuna drown."

It being the first time she had ever heard that, the young woman cringed as she flushed pink with shame. "Um...Ooops...?"

The chuckle the Ronso admitted as she began to apologize rapidly for her misbehavior back then was entertaining. Guardians and other people watching alike, they were smiles at the antics that had went on between the summoner and her Ronso guardian. Cloud and Vincent, both looking at the Shoopuff themselves, they find their minds were not on the creature, which they admit fascinates them as much as it does the young members of their party.

"You sense it as well?" Cloud stated simply. The blonde despite looking up at the enormous animal as the Hypellos lowered a crane elevator.

"Hn..." Vincent replied "Probably will happen while out on the water."

"Tidus and Wakka should be able to handle it then." Cloud mused. "As Blitzball players both can hold their breaths under it for a considerable length of time."

"Good."

That said the small group of guardians and their charge got onto the lowered elevator and proceeded to continue on with their journey.

-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

An hour later...

Drying out with the aide of a low keyed fire spell provided by Lulu, Wakka and Tidus both looked at the young woman who was still sheepish over the most recent event to occur. After having gotten scolded by Wakka, for allowing herself to get kidnapped for the second time, she also had to endure a stern lecture from Lulu, who although she was not much older then her.

Acted more a mother then a big sister to the young woman, which was plain and obvious to many that the feeling was indeed returned. In the meantime as Tidus was finally dry, he couldn't help but ask a question.

"What's the big idea with kidnapping Yuna? I mean why interfere with her journey; she is doing it for them after all?"

"Baah! Who knows! All I know is those damn Al Bhed go against anything Yevon!" Wakka exclaimed loudly. "They all be bad news!"

"Not all of them." Cloud and Tidus said in unison. The two looking at one another, Cloud gives it to the younger blonde who nods his head in acknowledgement.

"Not all of them are bad Wakka." Tidus repeated as he looked at his friend. "When I first arrived here, I didn't end up straight at Besaid. Heck even now I don't know where I was originally when I arrived. I do know this; if it wasn't for an Al Bhed ship coming by and helping me...I don't know where I would have been. They took care of me, even though they didn't have to, this one girl especially. Then Sin attacked...and I got knocked off the ship again. I don't...I don't even know if they are all right."

The others listening, Wakka said nothing despite his instincts to. Lulu patting his shoulder motherly, Yuna who had gone silent couldn't help but ask. "Was there...was there someone named Cid on board?"

Lucky in the fact that Wakka at the moment was ignoring the conversation as he was deep in thought, Cloud and Vincent both couldn't help but listen now as Tidus looked thoughtful and then shook his head.

"No... I don't believe there was one with that name on board."

A small sigh of relief on her features, before Wakka started ranting again, Tidus successfully managed to speak up as he decided to do something to distract her. "Wakka?"

"Huh?"

"Breathe?"

"What?"

"Just breathe and relax!"

Confused by his words, as well as the fact that the older of the two blitzball players was actually doing that Tidus was telling him, set off laughter among those watching his antics. Catching her eyes, Tidus smiled as Yuna mouth two simple words to him.

"Thank you..."

Nodding his head and his eyes sending words of your welcome, the blonde returned to teasing his fellow player and the small group continued on with their journey.

Arriving at the opposite side of the Moonflow, 30 minutes later, the group was well on their way again. Laughter and idle chatter of what to do when they got to Guadosalam, the silence for one as he was almost hesitant to do so was clear.

But that was forgotten as the lone figure of a person laid in the middle of the road.

Tidus staying close to Yuna, Vincent has the Cerberus gun out and aimed. The man a dead shot, since he has joined their group, between himself and Wakka no aerial fiends had truly been able to land even one attack.

Even then it did not stop him from those who attacked on the ground as well. Faster then Tidus who was the quickest on his feet, and stronger then Auron when it came to Armor piercing he was one not to waste time as was Cloud.

Being fighters as long as they have been, neither one was prone to waste any time.

Still though as the figure starts to stand up, by the suit alone, Tidus stops their hand as to him the suit looks quite familiar....

"Rikku?"

Turning at the sound of her name being spoken the blonde figure looked at them despite her goggles with an obvious curious expression. "Huh? Who called my name?"

"IT IS RIKKU!"

Bounding forward happily at the sight of the young woman who had saved him, he was halted as she held up a hand to him.

"WAIT JUST A MINUTE THERE BUSTER!"

Unzipping her wetsuit of sorts, the girl did a little bit of a shimmy and a shake as she danced out of the tight outfit. Pale skin and short blonde hair with longer strands in braids released, she stepped out of the suit and happily as she pulled her goggles down.

Revealing her swirling green and blue eyes, Cloud did not miss the gasp Yuna had given off as she seemed to almost recognize the young woman before them.

"Man...I had to get out of that outfit. For a moment there I thought I was gonna die!"

"What! Who! HOW!"

"You, you idiot." The blonde girl scolded as she poked him in the chest with a finger. "You almost killed me!"

Listening to her scold the younger blonde male, Cloud could not help but chuckle as did Vincent at the brightness this third blonde girl seemed to shine with. "It seems...our family of sorts is complete do you not think so Vincent."

"Indeed..." The black haired man chuckled as Yuna spoke quickly to Lulu. The latter of which widening as the girl told her something, both cornered Tidus and the blonde girl, before Wakka who was happy to learn that it was her who saved Tidus in the beginning could remember that she was an Al Bhed.

"Girl! Talk! Okay! You boys be good now and stay here!" The young lady chirped as she politely gave a strong push to them to stand back. The men looking at one another, four of them already knew what was going to happen and they accepted it. Especially as Yuna gave Rikku a hug with Lulu smiling in approval...

Coming forward to Cloud and Auron with the perky blonde in tow now, what they expected happened as Yuna asked that all too important question from earlier discussions.

"Sir Auron, Sir Cloud... I would like Rikku as my guardian." Yuna asked quietly and with respect.