Chapter 8: Kilika

The remainder of the stars overhead faded as dawn's fingers crept over the edge of the horizon. Below, the waters of the inky ocean lightened, hinting at their fathomless depths. As Eden sailed through the empty sky, the stillness all around made it feel as though she and Auron were the only beings in Spira.

She felt Auron's fingers press against her hull and rose higher. They hovered there, facing the rising son, waiting for it to peek over the edge of the water and begin its slow ascent, cloaked in a soft haze of golds and pinks.

It was some time before he spoke to her. "Dawn has broken. We should move." His gruff voice softened, and she processed what he wasn't saying; that he didn't know how to show her his appreciation for the peaceful sunrise they'd shared together. That he was weighing the worth of the moment against the price they'd paid to get here. He knew she couldn't answer him in Eden's true form anyway.

Turning, she cruised towards Kilika, scanning her surroundings constantly. An alarm flared as her senses picked up on an anomaly. After a split-second of processing the data she dropped without warning, causing Auron to curse and scrabble for purchase. She transformed halfway through their descent, regaining her exosuit-clad human body and losing him in the process. Reaching out, Rikku grabbed his waist and slowed their fall.

"Sorry!" It was her only warning before she submerged them up to their necks in the ocean.

"Why did you take us down?" Auron sputtered, turning his head to avoid being splashed by an errant wave.

"Something showed up on the scanners. The Winno is docked at Kilika right now, which is lucky for us, but there's another vessel there too." She tested the wheel on her back cautiously; it seemed to be working just as well underwater as it did in the air. After a few slow turns, she began to propel them through the ocean towards the island. "I didn't want to take any chances. Gippal's been testing some kind of new radar system that might detect us and I don't know if any other Al Bhed are using it too."

"Al Bhed?" Auron asked, his expression turning grim.

"What I spotted… I think it's the Love Boat," she muttered. "Uh, I mean, the Redemption. You know, my salvage ship. I renamed it when I took over."

"What is your ship doing here?" Seeing her guilty face, he sighed. "It's not your ship anymore, is it."

"I kinda forgot that I left it with Cid when I joined the Gullwings. Brother did say the Fahrenheit was still in Djose, so I guess we know how Berrik's getting around now."

Auron let out a low groan. "Great. That Al Bhed troublemaker is here."

"Yeah," she agreed, wincing. "Think we could sneak past him?"

"As much as I would prefer to, we can't. We don't know how many Restorationists are here, why they came, or where they are right now. Most importantly, we need to speak to someone in the village about the potential location of this aeon Jecht wants so badly."

"Eidolon," Rikku corrected him absently, keeping her eye on the coast. "It's not an aeon, it's an eidolon."

"Semantics. It's a dog."

She shushed him. "Let's sneak around the Winno and pretend we arrived in town like normal people. You ready to face Dona and Bartello again, Aaron?"

"Hnn," Auron grunted, tightening his arms around her and squinting at the shoreline that was rapidly approaching. "Not really. But where are you taking us? I thought Kilika was further west."

"Oh boy," Rikku mumbled. "That is Kilika. It's just gotten a lot bigger since you saw it. With Sin gone, they decided it'd be safe enough to build over the reef, so they moved the whole settlement."

Auron fell silent; the port town came into view. It was his first time seeing the thatch-roofed huts sitting atop massive pink coral outcrops jutting out of the ocean, and the many colorful piers surrounding the buildings. The Winno, docked at the far end of an eastern pier, was dwarfed by the Al Bhed salvage ship on the opposite side of the wharf. She noted with dismay that it had been renamed again; it now bore the proud title of "Pollendina." A multitude of rowboats bobbed along the marina between the two ships.

"It's truly transformed," Auron said, surprise coloring his voice. "There's nothing left of the village I once knew."

"That's not true! The people are still around. In fact, Dona's the mayor of this town. She actually married Bartello a few years back." She skirted around the docks, aiming to approach from the far side of the Winno. "Originally, Kilika got so big because of the Youth League." She kept her voice low as they sluiced through the water. "They used to make their base camp here. Plus the town already had a great blitzball team to begin with. Between their superstar Larbeight and the influx of new talent the Beasts gained when the Youth League dissolved, they've become one of the biggest players in the sphere dome. Kilika's tourism industry is huge now! Oh, and hang on."

Silently, she lifted them up to the edge of the boat and glanced over the deck. It was still too early for anyone but the seagulls to be awake, and with a final burst from her thrusters, she brought them aboard behind the captain's cabin. "Let's wait till we've dried out a little, then we can hit the town. It won't take long in this heat."

Auron was already shrugging off his soaked jacket, wringing it out over the side of the boat. After a brief moment of hesitation, Rikku let her suit fold away and rejoined him in her similarly waterlogged traveling gear. She could almost hear Jecht laughing at her for it: Aeons can't get wet, Blondie! Watching Auron struggle with his boots made her want to join him, though. As she emptied her own out, she wondered at the ridiculousness of it all. They could both very likely simply choose to be dry and be done with it. Still, there was something comforting in the way they stubbornly clung to the motions of being a part of the human world.

"What will you do if you run into Berrik?" Auron asked as he settled down against the railing, slicking his hair back. He'd freed himself of his damp headband and was shaking it out, leaving his face open and unmasked.

She spent so long admiring the view that his movements faltered and his cheeks reddened. "You find my face that fascinating?"

Leaning her cheek against her palm, she nodded. "Yeah. I love your scar." She reached out to trace it. "It's part of who you are. One of the things you sacrificed to protect us all. It feels weird, not being able to see it all the time." She sighed, dropping her eyes. "I hate forcing you to wear that headband all the time. Maybe you're not changing your face, but you're still hiding it."

His lips twitched in an almost-smile. "I'm not ashamed of my scarred face, Rikku. This is simply to avoid unnecessary trouble. Enough of that follows you around without my help."

"I preferred your sunglasses though," she sulked.

Shaking out the now-nearly-dry cloth, Auron began to re-wrap his damaged eye. "As did I. I'll consider leaving the band off when we're done here. Forgive me, but I'd rather not test the depths of Bartello's admiration right now." Tying the cloth off, he fixed his eye on her. "Now take this seriously and answer my question. What are you going to do about Berrik?"

"I don't know." She sighed. "I never thought about it because I don't want to deal with him. I mean, I don't seriously believe he could kidnap me even if he tried. But I don't like all this attention, you know? I just wanna have a quiet life somewhere with you, doing normal things." She blew a raspberry out between her lips. "Going to war with the rest of Spira isn't normal. I'm tired of all the fighting already!"

"I understand that all too well." Auron pulled her to his side. She leaned into him and they sat, listening to the water lap against the side of the boat. "I don't think humanity will ever know peace," he said after a while. "There'll always be a malcontent seeking something more and ruining it for everyone else."

Rikku frowned. "I don't believe that. Maybe we can't always be good, but that doesn't mean when we fail, we default to being evil. People like Yevon, Jihl, and Seymour... I think they're exceptions, not the rule. And they all had their reasons for turning out the way they did. We just don't know what Berrik's is yet."

"Exceptions or not, the people you named still changed the course of history for the worse," Auron reminded her.

"Yeah, and they were also all stopped by people like you, and Yunie, and Tidus. No matter what pops up to get in our way, people keep striving for peace. Like you said… maybe it's the journey that really matters, not the destination." She sought out his hand. "Just because the way to the future we want can get a little bumpy doesn't mean we should stop reaching for it."

"Hnn," he grunted, falling silent. They sat, basking in the rising heat, until they were dry enough to enter the town without being too conspicuous.

Well, she amended. As inconspicuous as an Al Bhed celebrity in a town full of Al Bhed could be. There were less people milling about Kilika than usual; it wasn't that strange, considering that blitzball season was kicking off. The town seemed almost sleepy, with most of the natives they sighted being either the very elderly or the very young. Even Kilika's usual score of blitzball tourists were absent; Rikku figured they were swarming Luca at the moment instead. Something else was strange, though.

"Where are all the Al Bhed?" she whispered as she directed Auron down the pier leading towards Dona's house.

"I don't know. Are you taking us to visit Dona?"

"Yea—huh," she said, putting her hand up to stop him and stepping back as Dona's hut came into view.

Two Al Bhed sentries were posted outside of her door, guns held loosely in their hands. Brows lowered, Rikku inched closer and strained her ears. She shouldn't have bothered; Dona's voice carried through the doorway, sharp with anger.

"And just why do you think I'd help you?"

An unfamiliar man's voice, thick with the typical Al Bhed accent, replied. "You misunderstand. I am not asking you for your help. All you need to do… is nothing. What could be easier than this?"

She traded a glance with Auron, who was starting to frown. He reached behind his back, willing the Masamune into existence just as she called the Godhand to her wrist.

"Hah! Haven't you watched the news? Your little princess was last seen traveling towards Luca. There's nothing for you in Besaid." Dona's tone was so scathing Rikku was surprised the wood of the hut wasn't peeling.

"Oh, there is still treasure to be unearthed even at the ends of the world. Lady Pollendina will come to us of her own will, all in good time."

"He's going after Yuna!" Rikku whispered to Auron, her eyes widening.

"You're a fool if you really believe Yuna will give someone like you the time of day," Dona shot back, though there was a tension in her voice that hadn't been there before. "So why don't you save yourself the trouble and march your little toy soldiers back to Luca before you miss the big game?" Her tone turned mocking. "Or is it that you don't want to see your precious Psyches lose the cup again this year?"

"E cruimt daylr oui y maccuh, oui meddma…"

"Dona!" Bartello's shout sounded amidst the clacking of machina.

Auron pushed out from behind her, his sword in hand. "Take the one on the left," he said brusquely, moving up the platform.

She sped past him, pasting a smile on her face. "Rao drana!" she chirped as the surprised guard turned towards her. Before he could react, she clocked him in the chin, knocking him out cold. His gun was in her hand before he hit the ground, her fingers flying over it. The rapidly dismantled machina rained to the floor in a flutter of musical metal scraps around him.

The heavy thud of a falling body sounded next to her; Auron was just as efficient if a little more brutal when disabling his guard. She turned in time to catch the machina weapon Auron tossed at her, disassembling it smoothly. He didn't wait for her, bursting through the curtain even as the Al Bhed inside raised their voices in anger and surprise.

"Drop the guns," he ordered as Rikku scrambled in after him. His sword was out and resting dangerously close to the neck of the leader of the Al Bhed group – Berrik, she recognized. He looked older than she remembered from what she'd seen of him in the Spherecasts of the Psyches in Luca; his blonde hair was longer, scraping the bottom of his chin, and his swirled green eyes were no longer masked by goggles. He was still absurdly fit, carrying the broad-chested frame of a blitzball player well, although his face was beginning to show the first hints of his age.

The sound of machina guns cocking filled the air as the rest of Berrik's guards – a full seven of them crowding Dona's tiny hut – pointed them at Auron, who didn't flinch.

"Dona!" Bartello, still massive enough to dwarf everyone in the room but now also sporting an equally enormous beard, broke away from his gun-wielding captor. He rushed to Dona's side. The former summoner sat on her bed, arms and legs crossed in a studiedly casual pose. Her brown eyes widened with surprise. She was still dressed in a top that revealed more of her tawny skin than it hid, though she'd traded in her split skirt and fishnet stockings for a pair of low-hanging flared pants.

"Calm down Bartello, I'm fine," Dona hissed, recovering as she spotted Rikku. "My, my, my, my. If it isn't the Al Bhed princess herself. How right you were, Berrik." She smirked, though there was an evident note of relief behind her mocking words.

"Dona! Bartello! Are you guys okay?" Rikku asked, holding her weapon up and pressing her back against Auron's.

"Cdyht tufh!" Berrik shouted, glaring at his men. Then he addressed Rikku. "So Myto Pollendina."

Auron remained tense, standing stock-still even as the other Al Bhed warily lowered their weapons.

"I'm no lady, and I'm not speaking to you if you don't use Spiran," Rikku answered Berrik coolly. "Just what is going on here, huh?"

"I might ask the same." Berrik tried to straighten, flinching as Auron's sword brushed against his skin from the motion. His gaze locked on her. "What did you two do to my men outside?"

"Hmph," Auron grunted as Rikku stepped out from behind his back to face Berrik.

"They'll live," she answered, waving her hand carelessly. "Don't be cute. Why were you threatening Dona and Bartello? What're you trying to do here?"

"I beg your pardon, La—Miss Pollendina," Berrik replied, his mouth slanting into a slight smile that didn't reach his eyes. "We were merely having a discussion. There was no threatening. Did you feel threatened, Miss Dona?"

"Hah! As if you fools could threaten me." Dona tossed her head with a sniff.

"Dona!" Bartello protested, wrapping his meaty arms around her. He glared at Berrik. "I felt threatened! You and your men invaded our house and bullied my wife!"

"Perhaps we can deescalate this situation," Berrik said, raising his hands soothingly. "If you would call off your guard dog, Lady Pollendina?" He eyed Auron, the unsettling smile still on his face.

"Send your men back to your boat," Auron cut in, unamused. "Then we talk. Not before."

Berrik stared at Auron for a moment, the skin around his eyes tightening minutely. Then he tilted his head at the others in the room. "Dyga lyna uv dra dfu uidceta yht fyed vun sa uh dra puyd."

There were a few grunts of acknowledgement as the Al Bhed filed out of the room. When only Berrik was left, Auron finally lowered his sword.

"I am glad we have this chance to communicate like civilized beings," Berrik said calmly. Dona's loud snort sounded behind him, but he ignored her, keeping his eyes on Rikku. "It is an honor to finally meet you, Lady Rikku. May I call you that?"

The way he enunciated her name, drawing out the vowels, made her skin crawl. Auron definitely noticed, stiffening and taking a step closer towards her.

"I shouldn't give you the right to call me anything." Rikku glared Berrik down. "I heard about what you did to my brother. Don't even try that with me. I'm not your princess, and I'm not interested in joining your faction. Why are you stirring things up anyway?"

"I am not stirring anything, Lady Rikku. I am restoring things to their natural state. You and your brother simply do not realize it yet. Brainwashed, by Yevonites and Spirans alike." He spoke those names as though they were pejoratives. "Your family has neglected to maintain its roots as divinity, and it is my task to guide you back to your rightful thrones."

She couldn't help it. Her mouth dropped open and she blinked. Then she looked at Auron, whose expression was hardening, and then back to Berrik again. "Excuse me, what? I thought I heard you say divinity. You're kidding, right?"

Berrik tilted his head. "Is it your wish that I leave these people in peace for now? I will prove my devotion to you by following your command. Simply say the word, and it shall be so." He gestured at Dona and Bartello, still wrapped around each other on the bed behind him.

"Ugh. This guy gives me the creeps," she whispered none-too-discreetly to Auron, before facing Berrik. "Ok, look, I don't know what your deal is but Brother and I are definitely not gods. And if you think Cid is a god too, well… I mean, have you talked to him? Just give it up already. You know that can't be true."

"Do I now?" Berrik's half-smile remained infuriatingly unperturbed. He seemed to be waiting for her to say something.

Her eyebrow ticked. Between Auron and herself, Rikku was certain they could handle Berrik and any number of machina-touting fanatics he might have brought along for the ride. The problem, however, was the rest of Kilika. Even if she could best them and convince everyone else she was using a brand new version of the Machina Maw dressphere, she wasn't willing to show her hand to Dona, a former summoner. Clenching her teeth, she forced the words out.

"Leave the people in Kilika alone, and get outta here. You really should listen to Dona," she added spitefully, glaring at Berrik. He opened his mouth, and she cut him off. "Yes, that's an order, you weirdo. Get lost!"

His smile widened, and he bowed respectfully, never breaking eye contact with her. "So it shall be done. Until the next time, my lady," he told her, striding out of the hut.

"There won't be a next time," Rikku huffed after he left, cupping her arms and trying to shake off the disgust she was feeling.

"Don't be so sure. That man is as persistent as an octopus," Dona said, throwing off Bartello and coming to her feet. "He's been sending representatives to Kilika for a while now. Of course, we've never given his minions the time of day. All of this dynasty talk is nonsense." She paced around the room, obviously upset despite her cool façade. "But this is the first time he's actually threatened us. Probably because everyone is in Luca right now. Striking while we're at our weakest." She scoffed. "Bartello. Go watch them. Make sure Berrik and his rats really are leaving."

"Yes ma'am!" Bartello grunted, racing out of the hut.

"Wow… you have him whipped."

"He's a willing victim," Dona said smugly. Then she looked Rikku up and down, her expression declaring just how unimpressed she was with what she saw.

Rikku crossed her arms and set her jaw. "Sorry about busting into your hut unannounced, by the way, but it sounded like you guys could've used the help."

Dona sniffed. "I'm hardly surprised. You Gullwings always came and went as you pleased."

"You're welcome," Auron said drily, finally leaving his sword stance and relaxing.

Naturally, Dona bristled. "Who are you?" Her eyebrow went up. "Oh, that's right. You're Rikku's boy toy from Guadosalam." She smirked and eyed Auron. "I'll admit, you're not half-bad looking, but do you feel up to dating a religious icon?"

Auron glared and refused to rise to the bait, remaining a silent but intimidating presence in the hut.

The longer they stared at one another, however, the more Dona's brow began to quirk. A look of confusion crept over her face. "There's something odd about you two," she murmured, her gaze flitting towards Rikku.

Poop! She's still a Summoner after all! "Dona!" Rikku screeched, panicking. "Can you let the attitude go for one second? We just saved your butts, remember?"

Smirking, Dona held a hand before her mouth. "Well. It's none of my business, is it." Her haughty smile faltered for a moment. "Is it? Why did you come here?" She looked about as eager to hear the answer as she had been to negotiate with Berrik.

"About that… well, we're looking for something that we heard could be found here. A small stone or a jewel, about this big." Rikku held up her hands to demonstrate. "It's something the ancient Yevonites used to protect their communities. Have you ever heard of anything like it?"

"A magic warding stone?" Dona's eyebrow rose. "That's the first I've heard of this." She paced back and forth, rubbing her chin. "It's been many years since I went through my training as a Summoner. There wasn't anything like that mentioned in our theoreticals." She closed her eyes, thinking, and then frowned. "Although there was a mention in the Teachings about the 'Jeweled Beasts' who protected the Temples falling to the armies of machina. But nothing of magic stones or jewels."

Rikku felt a flare of hope. "At least it's something! Protected the Temples, huh?" She traded a look with Auron; they'd be able to narrow their search down significantly if they could limit it to the Temple. "Is there any part of the Temple of Fire that hasn't been fully explored yet?"

Dona rolled her eyes. "Please. You sphere hunters have turned that place upside-down more times than I can count. You're welcome to have another go at it if you like, though. Be my guest." Crossing her arms, she cleared her throat grumpily. "And… thank you for your timely intervention. Ugh, saying that leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Scowling, she turned to Rikku. "I can't leave Kilika, not after what just happened. But you'd better get yourself to Besaid after this and warn Yuna about that madman. It's on your head if you don't."

"Aww… you're so cute when you care," Rikku cooed, just to needle her.

"Just go," Dona spat, dropping her forehead into her hand dramatically. "And take your eye-candy with you."

"My name is Aaron," Auron said, affronted.

Dona rolled her eyes at him. "I'll pretend to care if you're still around next week."

Hastily, Rikku pushed him out of the hut before he could reply, waving. "Thanks, Dona! Catch you later!"

They passed Bartello, who was leaning on a railing and watching Berrik climb up the gangplank to his ship on the far end of the dock. "Looks like he's really going," Bartello grumbled, squinting as the ship raised its anchors and slowly pulled away. He turned and grabbed Auron's hand, pumping it up and down rapidly. "Thank you for helping us. I don't know what I would've done if they'd hurt Dona." His voice cracked as he spoke.

Auron let himself be manhandled, a look of bemusement on his face as Rikku hid her grin.

"Hey, didn't you learn to guard your emotions before your Summoner?" she quipped, unable to resist coming full circle. Auron squinted at her in annoyance.

"You're welcome," he said gruffly, pulling his hand out of Bartello's grasp. "Go to her," he added more gently.

"Yes, sir!" Bartello turned on his heel and rushed back inside the hut, and Rikku blanched and pulled Auron away at a fast pace, heading for the gate to the jungle.

"Rikku. Calm down, they're gone—"

"It's not Berrik and his goons I'm worried about! Dona and Bartello's hut doesn't even have a door," she hissed. "I do not want to be around for their happy, life-affirming reunion after that incident. I was the last time they got separated and I'm still scarred! Do you know what Dona's secret pet name for Bartello is? Because I do."

"Why would you— oh." Comprehension dawning, Auron grabbed Rikku's elbow and took the lead. "To the temple. No time to waste," he agreed a little too hastily.

.x.x.x.

The jungle leading towards Kilika's temple was as hot, humid, and fiend-infested as ever. Still keyed up from the Al Bhed encounter and Dona's acidic tongue, Auron was slicing through any fiendish resistance they met with ease.

"Not that I don't appreciate the free ride, but do you wanna talk?" Rikku asked diplomatically as he cleaved apart a Protochimera.

Auron stopped to look at her. "You're not bothered by your Al Bhed deification?"

Rikku shrugged, playing off her discomfort. If the trail of fiendish pyreflies he was leaving in their path was any indication, he didn't need her adding to his stress. She made sure to keep her tone light. "I mean, I sort of am the God of Potential, right? He doesn't actually know that though. All this Pollendina dynasty stuff is just a power grab. I could see it in his eyes when we were talking. He might have convinced other people to follow his kooky new religion, but he's not a believer." She wrinkled her nose. "I'm more disturbed that he'd try to turn my pops into some kind of religious idol. What would Cid be, anyway? The God of Fools?"

Auron twirled his sword around in frustration, plunging it into the ground by his feet. His lone eye bored into her, piercing through her deception. "You don't have to pretend you're not bothered by it."

She stopped swaying in place and wilted. "I never wanted any of this. I should've been more careful." She flinched at Auron's questioning look. "Kimahri found a sphere recording of me when I was traveling with you guys on the pilgrimage. Maybe there were more. Maybe that's what started this whole delusion."

Auron ran a weary hand through his hair, blowing out an audible sigh. "We all should have been more careful back then." He turned to look at her. "You can't ignore Berrik anymore, Rikku. We let him go too easily."

Wincing, Rikku nodded. "I know. But Dona was right there, and she was starting to notice. Me, I think."

Leaning on his sword, Auron dropped his head and cursed under his breath. "We can't avoid Besaid." He didn't elaborate, but she knew he was worried about Yuna.

"We'll go as soon as we find this eidolon. Don't worry! Tidus, Wakka, and Lulu are with her. They won't let anything happen." She said it to comfort herself as much as him.

Picking his sword back up, he nodded curtly. "Let's get it done."

Several stone steps and horribly deformed fish statues later, they finally reached the courtyard of the Fire Temple. Flames still danced in the sconces surrounding the entrance, though they were an ordinary shade of red-orange: perfectly normal fires lit and maintained by the residents of Kilika.

The plaza leading down into the Cloister was even more overgrown than normal, with new vine growth snaking over the crumbling stone. It hadn't been cleaned in some time, and the entire temple looked lonely and abandoned. Even if it wasn't a popular destination anymore, the absence of the majority of islanders during blitzball season added significantly to the overall atmosphere of desolation.

"Looks like it's not as well-visited as it used to be," she said, kicking away a branch.

"Is that a CommSphere?" Auron asked, pointing out the small sphere embedded into the ground at the edge of the courtyard.

"Yeah. We can't use it to call Yunie, though. Bartello broke it a long time ago and Shinra never bothered to fix this one, since people don't really hang out at the Temple anymore these days."

They descended into the depths slowly, their footsteps reverberating against the stone floors. Rikku scanned the walls as they went, running her hands along the various patterns carved into the pillars. "This is like searching for a cactaur needle in the sand."

"Do you have any idea of what we're looking for?" He inspected the opposite side of the stairwell, grimacing at the onslaught of Yevon-worshipping teachings immortalized into stone.

She shook her head. "Nothing besides a general idea of the size of the thing we need to find." Her steps slowed as they entered the antechamber of the cloister. Though empty, the area was still better maintained than the outside of the Temple; perhaps because it wasn't exposed to the elements. She moved forward hesitantly, her feet bringing her to the base of Braska's statue. Craning her neck backwards, she stared into his stone face. Her fingers twitched, remembering the feel of his sharp cheekbones under her fingertips. She could almost imagine his arresting blue eyes watching her. A twinge of sadness and regret ran through her; as much as she was enjoying traveling with Auron, she wished Braska was by their side.

Auron stopped behind her, also looking up. "You miss him," he said after a moment.

"Don't you?"

He grunted in assent, wrapping his arms around her and letting her lean against him for support. "I should be jealous. But he was my best friend." His embrace tightened. "He didn't deserve to die the way he did."

"About that..." She swallowed. "After we, uh, met in Zanarkand… I promised I'd try to bring him back too." The enormous statue made Braska seem so aloof and distant. "He's not really here with us anymore, though. I don't… I don't know if I can do it."

Auron dropped his chin onto her shoulder. "I know more of Braska than you. And he would appreciate the effort you're putting into this, regardless of your success. As do I."

"I guess. But it doesn't making missing him get any easier. Not yet, at least."

After a few moments, Auron gently steered her away from the statue. "Don't lose yourself to the past. Focus on why we're here for now."

Swiping at her eyes, Rikku separated herself from Auron and gave him a shaky nod. "Yeah. Let's try the basement. Maybe there's something in the Cloister."

They climbed the steps leading towards the Trial; here, the torches were no longer lit, and Rikku called a tiny flame into her palm to light the way.

"Wait," Auron told her, frowning. He left to rummage through one of the storage rooms and came back with a wooden pole, wrapped liberally with desiccated copies of Yevonite scripture at one end to form a makeshift torch. He doused the paper with the flask of alcohol hanging from his hip and then held it out to her. "Light it up."

Biting her lip, she touched her flame to the parchment, where it caught on quickly. "You know, no matter how much the Yevonites screamed about us being heretics this might be the first time in history an Al Bhed ever set the Teachings on fire."

Auron smirked. "Far too long in coming, then." He hefted the burning torch above them. "Let's go."

The elevator was, thankfully, still working, bringing them into the musty depths. The torchlight pushed back the shadows cloaking everything, but it was still dark enough that Rikku cast another flame into her palm for additional light. "I should have brought a sphere with me," she grumbled, holding her hand up and scanning the walls. Auron did the same; they started canvassing the room on opposite ends, looking for any sort of clue as to the existence or location of an eidolon.

An hour later, they were both frustrated. "Absolutely nothing of use," Auron grumbled. "Tell me you found something."

Shaking her head, she led him into the next room in the Trial. Thankfully, the puzzle no longer worked. It had been powered by aeon magic, much like the Temple's flames. Now, it was simply an oddly carved obstacle course to climb through. She scrambled over the stonework easily, wobbling at the top of the ledge leading towards the Chamber of Fayth.

"Hey, are you out of practice?" she teased when she noticed Auron was hanging back. He didn't answer right away. She spun around, her worry spiking.

He was still standing at the bottom of the pit in the room, looking up at her. She noticed sweat beading on his forehead, and he took a step back. "It's better if I remain here." His eye flicked over her shoulder towards the door behind her, and with a flash of insight, she realized that he could feel the pull of the Farplane, even from this distance. "I might not… be myself if I go further. Can you manage this alone?"

Silenced by the sudden, visceral reminder that Auron was an Unsent, she could only stare at him. It took her a moment to find her voice. "Don't worry, I got this. Go wait by the elevator, okay?"

He nodded and turned to leave. Hesitating, he looked back, his one eye glinting darkly in the torchlight. But instead of saying anything, he pressed his fingers to his lips and held them out to her. She nodded, and satisfied, he continued his retreat.

Rikku walked into the Chamber by herself, the way lit by the scores of pyreflies drifting by. Their hum increased as she approached the room that had housed Ifrit's Fayth stone. When she entered it, she was mildly surprised to see multiple strings of warding cloth draped across the gaping hole in the center of the chamber. Closing her eyes, she reached out with her senses and felt a familiar brush of magic, intertwined with a foreign signature.

"That's definitely Isaaru," she muttered, her eyes popping open. "And… maybe Dona too? Wow, I guess Isaaru really cleaned up his act. And the temples." Somehow she knew he wouldn't have stopped with just one; his Summoner's wards were acting as a Gate to keep the pyreflies from leaking out. "I wonder why he never asked Yunie for help?" she mused. Likely guilt; nearly all of Spira knew that Yuna just wanted to be left in peace these days. Still… for all of his good intentions, Isaaru wasn't the most powerful of Summoners remaining in the world. His wards weren't nearly as effective as Yuna's might have been. They were definitely a far cry from the natural gate in the Farplane, as evidenced by the masses of pyreflies drifting around the room.

Kneeling, she glanced around the shattered runes that had formerly surrounded Ifrit's mortal body. She felt sorry for him. Even though his soul had moved on after Yuna's battle with Sin, the destruction of his physical remains in the attempt to resurrect him as a Dark Aeon rubbed her the wrong way. Frowning, she traced her fingers over the stonework, absently calling the Godhand to her wrist.

The pyreflies drifted lower, lingering around a segment of flooring where the runes had been smashed. She watched her hands moving dreamily, feeling a trance settle over her as she righted the fragmented stone, reforming the circle with its broken pieces like she was slotting a puzzle together.

"I can't even read this writing," she wondered aloud as she placed another broken stone into the circle bordering the pit.

Ah, but I can. Braska's voice was a whisper in her mind, her fingers moving with a precision and confidence that didn't belong to her. The pyreflies drifted lower, lighting the way for her work.

Some pieces of stone were shattered beyond repair; she dragged rough, uncarved bits of rubble to fill those gaps and then used the tip of the Godhand to painstakingly carve in the missing symbols. By the time she completed her trip around the pit, a fine layer of sweat was covering her body and her hands were shaking.

Steady now, Braska murmured. She almost felt his presence physically, his long hair brushing over her shoulders as he guided her hands. We're almost through.

Sitting back on her heels, she performed the bow. Then she leaned over and touched her fingers to the runes, her lips moving in a soft chant.

The circle flickered and lit with a light of its own. The pyreflies shrieked, falling through the hole and gathering just beneath the cloth wards, trapped firmly below Isaaru and Dona's seals.

Good girl. As lightly as the whisper came, it left, and she was alone in the nearly-dark room. She looked at the pulsing runes she'd made without comprehension. Then she leaned back, staring blindly into the ceiling.

"Braska?"

She waited, but there was no answer. After a moment, she let out a slow sigh and pushed herself to her feet, taking one last look at the magic circle to reassure herself that it hadn't all been a fever dream.

"Thank you."

.x.x.x.

Auron was waiting for her on the elevator, as promised. He turned when he heard her coming, holding his torch up. "What took you so long?"

"I wish I could tell you," Rikku replied honestly. "It was weird. It felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. Maybe it had something to do with being so close to the Farplane?" She considered telling him about Braska, and then discarded it; she didn't want to give him false hope, and she wasn't exactly sure of what had happened back there herself. "Well, whatever that feeling was, I didn't manage to find any eidolon stones because of it."

"I may have."

"What?"

Auron's lips twitched into a smug half-smile. "You left me alone here long enough to find a clue." He swept the torch towards the walls of the elevator. As the flickering light chased away the shadows, she realized the shaft was also fully carved – but this time with images, rather than words.

"What is that?"

"Wait," he told her, backing away and then running towards one of the walls. With a grunt, he leapt and pushed off of the elevator railing, then kicked his way halfway up the elevator shaft, shifting from side to side with ease. He grabbed onto the handle of the Masamune with his free hand – she could now see he'd thrust the weapon into the stone itself as a hand-hold – and planted his feet against the wall, hanging off of it. Then he lifted the torch. "Come up here."

Folding her exosuit over herself, Rikku flew up next to him. "You could've just asked, you know. You didn't have to climb here by yourself."

Auron smirked at her. "It looks more impressive when I do it my way." He gestured with the torch at the wall behind her. "Look. The Jeweled Beast of Kilika, I presume."

She turned and saw an image of a sleek, long-eared creature with four legs carved into the wall. It wound its way sinuously around a multitude of swirls and patterns depicting something – howling winds? The flow of magic? The relief was so stylized it was hard to tell. What she could see was that its impossibly long tail curled around the entire length of the shaft's walls, encircling crudely-carved images of humans and a flaming dog-like creature that she assumed was supposed to be Ifrit.

"So it really did exist! But… where's the stone?"

"There's nothing embedded into the walls," he said. "I already checked."

"Huh." Curiosity overtaking her, she touched the carving's head carefully. Then she closed her eyes and reached out with her other senses, feeling for the weave of magic below the stone.

It was cold and dark; a temple long abandoned and empty of the presence of the Fayth. But she kept searching, pushing through the heavy stone, straining for the faintest hint of magic. There, on the edge of her senses, was a weak pull. A colorful thread, delicate and thin, barely detectable.

Her eyes popped open and she followed the trail, tracing her fingers to the teardrop-like carving on the creature's forehead. Laying her palm flat against it, she pushed. Nothing happened.

Auron watched her, silently observing her growing frustration. After a moment, he cleared his throat. "Maybe this isn't something you can obtain by force."

"There's something here though. I know it." Considering his words, she closed her eyes. Instead of trying to push through the stone, she carefully plucked the thread between her fingers, giving it a gentle tug.

The delicate wisp of magic vibrated; whatever the eidolon was, it had been sleeping for a very long time. She nudged it again, and it stirred. Wrapping her magic around the eidolon's own, she pulled ever-so-gently against it.

"Rikku!"

Opening her eyes, she saw the carving of the teardrop in the creature's head was glowing. With a soft chime, it faded, revealing an alcove just big enough to fit her hand into. Reaching in, her fingers closed around a cool, smooth jewel. Excitement growing, she pulled it out and showed it to Auron.

"We did it," she whispered, looking down at the softly glowing ruby in her grasp. Unable to stop herself from grinning, she looked up at Auron. The rare smile he shared with her was even more brilliant than the gemstone in her hand.

AN: Al Bhed translations:

"E cruimt daylr oui y maccuh, oui meddma…" = "I should teach you a lesson, you little…"
"Rao drana!" = "Hey there!"
"Cdyht tufh!" = "Stand down!"
"So Myto Pollendina" = "My Lady Pollendina"
"Dyga lyna uv dra dfu uidceta yht fyed vun sa uh dra puyd." = Take care of the two outside and wait for me on the boat."