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Chapter Text

A warm russet gaze regarded her with fond intensity.  It pierced into her very soul; its owner knew her inside and out.  The skin at the corner of his good eye creased as he smiled at her; a small detail that hadn’t existed when he was younger and smooth-skinned.  Now, though, bits and pieces of his older appearance remained, such as the tufts of white in his unruly hair and his myriad of scars.  They were reminders of the long adventure he’d had in Spira, much of it on borrowed time.

“I hope you have a happy life.”  Rather than using his mouth, he smiled at her with his voice, grown rich and deep with age like a fine wine.  The slight tilt to his lips was the only hint of the expression on his face, other than that searing look.  “Find your way.  I know you will.” 

She sucked in her breath sharply, a lance of longing and regret chasing through her after it.

“Rikku?  You daydreamin’ again?”

Blinking, Rikku caught herself and smiled widely at Wakka.  “Sorry!  I’m all here, really!”

Wakka frowned and gave her a sidelong glance.  “You sure?  You looked a little funny in the head for a minute there, ya?  If you’re not feeling so good, you don’t need to do this right now. S’not like he and Lu are goin’ anywhere soon, y’know!”

Rikku shook her head rapidly, her beaded braids clacking against her cheeks.  The sting brought her completely back to the present.  “No, no, I’m good!  Take me to him!” she said, raising a hand and dancing in place.

Wakka beamed proudly and ushered her past the colorful hanging curtain and into the darkened hut.  The cool air inside was a relief from the humid heat of Besaid.  Lulu looked up from the bed, her tired eyes glinting as she smiled.  The bundle in her arms shifted.

“Is that him?” Rikku breathed, creeping closer, her eyes wide.

Lulu gave her a soft nod, pulling back the swaddling blanket to reveal a ruddy, round-cheeked cherub.  A tuft of bright red hair sticking straight up from the top of the baby’s tiny head made Rikku giggle. 

“Aww… you look just like your pops, Chappu!” she cooed, reaching out with a finger and gently smushing the baby’s nose.

“Got that right,” Wakka said proudly, folding his arms over his chest and preening.  “He’s gonna be just as good-lookin’ as his old man.”

“Right down the chubbiness!” Rikku added for good measure, this time eliciting a chuckle from Lulu and an indignant sputter from Wakka.  “I’m just kidding,” she added, stroking little Chappu’s cheek, and feeling another twinge in her chest as the baby’s eyes popped open to stare at her.  “You’re gonna be even better looking than your dad.  You’ve got your mom’s eyes.”

“You’re both wrong.  He looks like me,” a high voice chirruped.  Vidina stepped out from behind the bed, hands on his hips and a wide, gap-toothed grin on his face.  The boy looked down at his newborn brother proudly, as if he’d personally played a part in Chappu’s arrival.  “Magic or blitzing, I’m gonna make sure my little brudda is the best at whatever he does!”

“It’s a little early to start talking about blitzball, don’t you think?” said Lulu, pulling the baby close to her chest.

“No way!” Wakka and Vidina shouted at the same time, causing Chappu’s eyes to fly open and a loud wail to erupt from his mouth.

“All right.  That’s enough.  The both of you, out,” Lulu ordered with practiced sternness, the weariness leaving her eyes for a much sharper look.  Both Wakka and Vidina jumped and started edging towards the exit.  “I just remembered I gotta help out at the temple,” Vidina said.  “Later, ma!”

Wakka’s face screwed up as his son made a hasty escape, clearly having had his own excuse stolen.  “Yeah, well, I, uh, I’m gonna make sure Dina stays outta trouble,” he fumbled.  He did pause at the curtain, looking back over his shoulder fondly at his wife and child.  “You just send Rikku after me if you need anythin’, Lu,” he added, his voice suffused with warmth.

“Go on,” Lulu told him, suppressing a tiny smile.  “We need to have some girl time.”  She tilted her head down and rocked Chappu, soothing the wailing baby back into a contented doze.  “You don’t mind, do you, Chappu?” she asked, her voice softening into the cadence of motherhood.

Rikku sat back on her heels, watching them and tamping down on her urge to fidget.

I wanted this, she thought, a brief flash of jealousy grasping her.  It left as quickly as it came, leaving a lingering aftermath of pain in its wake, the tingle of an old wound stirred.  There wasn’t any use dwelling on it, though.  Six years was a long time to be nursing a grudge, and Auron hadn’t asked for her to spend her time being bitter. 

Still, even thinking his name made something inside her ache with regret.

“You know,” Lulu said as she gently laid the slumbering baby to rest in the wicker crib.  “Yuna’s been worried about you.  I can’t blame her.  You’ve been… distracted.”  Lulu’s voice was soft, careful not to wake the baby, but some of the steel returned as she sat back and directed a thoughtful look towards Rikku.  “You’re not a child anymore, Rikku, even if you act like one.”

“Hey!  Are you calling me immature?” Rikku shot back, her fierce words completely neutered by the subdued tone she relayed them in, mindful of the sleeping baby.  “I’m twenty-six already!  I do not act like a child!”

“Really,” Lulu whispered, amusement sparking.  “Then why are you always competing with Vidina to see who’s the better blitzer?  He’s ten, Rikku.  There’s no glory in besting a ten-year-old at a game.”

Rikku felt her lower lip jutting out in a pout and quickly sucked it back in.  The smirk on Lulu’s face told her the other woman had already noticed, though.  “He’s good for a ten-year-old, you know?  It’s not as easy as you make it out to be.  Dina really could have a future in Luca!”

“I’m aware, and I try not to think about it,” Lulu sighed.  “But I didn’t ask you to come here to discuss my oldest son’s prospects as professional blitzball player.”

“Yeah, I thought you asked me to come here to meet your youngest son,” Rikku said, staring at Chappu with a wistful gaze.  “He’s beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Lulu smiled.  “And I did.  But I also wanted to ask you why you’re still here.”

Rikku leaned back on her stool, tearing her attention away from the baby to slouch and fold her arms over her chest, giving Lulu her best unimpressed stare.  “You want me out that badly?  Is that it?”

Sighing, Lulu folded a patterned blanket over her son, swaddling him tightly.  “Nothing of the sort,” she said as she worked.  “You’ll always be welcome here.”  She glanced up from Chappu to peer at Rikku.  “You’re family.”

If it had come from Wakka, Yuna, or Tidus, Rikku might have taken that statement as a comforting platitude.  Coming from Lulu she knew better, though.  It was the woman’s subtle way of prodding at the sore wound of her strained relationship with Cid.  Shaking her head, Rikku pushed the dark thoughts of her father away.

“I know,” she admitted with a soft sigh.  “And I’m thankful that you guys are here for me.  Especially with Cid being such a butt about the Al Bhed right now,” she admitted, kicking her toe into the woven carpet.  “But… it’s just…”

Lulu nodded slowly, encouraging her to continue.

“Family,” Rikku finally admitted, taking another long look at Chappu’s face as he slept.  “That’s exactly it.  That’s what I’m missing.  I want to have my own family, not just be a tag-along to yours.”

Leaning back against the headboard, Lulu let out a melodic hum.  “Tidus mentioned that you once told him you wanted to start a large family of your own.”  She paused, her heavy stare making Rikku squirm in her seat.  “You’d need to find someone you love enough to create one with first.”

Rikku winced, hunching even lower in her stool.  “I know.  I already know that,” she mumbled, dreading what was coming next.  Be calm, Rikku.  Keep it in.

Lulu cleared her throat.  “You know, Gippal –”

Screw being calm!

Rikku shot up off of the stool like it was on fire.  Her hands were in the air, and it was only at the last second that she was able to keep the words from flying out of her mouth in a high shriek.  Instead, they came out as an angry, choked whisper.

“Not you too!  Absolutely not!  Don’t even go there!  I don’t know why everyone keeps trying to set me up with him when I already said I wasn’t interested!” she squeaked, her face turning red from the effort of reigning in her temper.

Lulu sighed, taking a cautious glance at the sleeping baby before turning a narrow-eyed glare back at her.  “Because he adores you, Rikku, and you…”  She trailed off, bringing her fingers to her mouth as if to seal her lips shut.

Rikku dropped her hands to her hips, brows lowering.  “What?” she whispered fiercely.

After a moment, Lulu’s gaze hardened.  “You obviously want to be adored,” she whispered back.  “Why are you torturing yourself by staying here?  With us?  We all know this island is too small for your dreams.  If even the leader of the Machine Faction can’t impress you, what do you hope to accomplish by staying in this village?”

There was a warning there; Rikku heard it loud and clear, wincing.  Family or not, Lulu considered Yuna to be like a sister to her.  And everyone knew of Rikku’s close friendship with Tidus.  Of course, no one, not even Yuna, knew why they shared that bond – it wasn’t as though she could go around telling everyone else that she was an aeon just like him, after all.  The unfortunate consequence of that deception, however, was the fact that it looked like Rikku was stubbornly staying in Besaid for one reason only.  One reason that was very happily married to her cousin, Yuna.

Deflating, Rikku thumped back into the stool and dropped her head into her hands.  It wasn’t as if Lulu was wrong – she was squirreling herself away in Besaid to nurse a broken heart.  It just wasn’t for Tidus.  Of course, telling everyone she was mourning the loss of Auron would be met with even more disbelief than admitting she wasn’t human anymore.  Beneath her palms, a wry smile bloomed.

I had small dreams once.  She thought of baby Chappu, imagining that his hair was black, and his eyes were green.

Shaking her head, she looked up.  Lulu was still waiting for her answer.

“I’m not going to try to steal Yunie’s husband from her, alright?  Tidus and I are just friends.  Anything else would be way too eww,” she muttered, wrinkling her nose. 

Lulu narrowed her eyes, her look still contemplative.  After a moment, she relented.  “I think I actually believe you, Rikku.  But I still can’t understand you.”  She shook her head.  “If it’s not about Tidus, then why are you still here?  You’re not getting any younger, and you’re certainly not getting any happier by chaining yourself to this island.”  She reached out and grabbed Rikku’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.  “If you can’t find what you want here, then maybe you should look for it out there.”

Rikku let out a soft laugh, some tension seeping out of her as she returned the gesture.  “I spent most of my life traveling, Lulu.  You think maybe I just want to settle down?”

“Probably someday.  But not today,” Lulu replied archly.  “Why don’t you take a break?  Go on a vacation.  Besaid isn’t exactly on the cutting edge of the latest machina developments.  I’m sure we could get by even without you here to teach us.”

“Humph,” Rikku teased, rolling her eyes.  “So you are kicking me out.  Did Yuna put you up to this?”

Lulu’s smile was frank.  “Yes,” she admitted readily.  “She thought that seeing Chappu would soften the blow.  Did it work?”

“Yeah.”  Rikku allowed herself to pout while stealing another look at the sleeping baby.  “Cheaters.”  She leaned back and blew out a sigh.  “I know you’re right.  I’m just… scared.”

That took Lulu by surprise.  “Scared?  Of what, exactly?”

Rikku shook her head.  “Scared that I won’t find what I’m looking for out there.  That I’ll see everything, and it still won’t be enough, and then where will that leave me?”  Right back where I started when it all began.  Missing Auron.

“Hmm.”  Lulu’s low voice cut across her thoughts, breaking her out of her impending funk.  “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“What?”

Lulu shrugged, nestling into her blankets and making herself comfortable.  “It’s a valid question.  Maybe you won’t find what you’re searching for beyond the shores of Besaid.  Maybe you’ll never find what you’re searching for.”  She yawned, and then allowed Rikku to see one of her brief, rare smiles.  “But I’ve never known you to be so timid as to be ruled by your fears.”

Rikku blinked.  “Well, when you put it that way-” she fumbled, caught off-guard by the other woman’s unexpected compliment.

“I am putting it that way,” Lulu replied, brooking no room for argument.  “Rikku.  We love you very much, but you’re obviously not happy here.  Perhaps it’s time to spread your wings and fly again.”

“Spread my wings, huh?”  She suppressed a shiver, knowing just how literal that statement could get.  Still… Lulu’s words were getting to her.  Maybe it was time to leave, see something new.  Anything to snap her out of the slow, insidious depression that was creeping over her the longer she spent around the happy couples of Besaid.  “Well, we’ll see.  As long as I don’t end up traveling with Brother again…”

Lulu smirked.  “You know, it is okay to admit that you actually like your older brother.”

Rikku stuck out her tongue.  “He’s a loser!”  Chappu stirred, and she lowered her voice.  “And he gets so obsessed over the most inane things,” she whispered hotly.  “Forget your worries about Tidus, Brother really is still obsessed with Yunie.”

Lulu said nothing but gave her a knowing look.

Wilting, Rikku hung her head.  “Fine, getting unhealthily obsessed with stuff is a Pollendina family trait,” she admitted.  “But come on!  I barely got out from under Brother’s thumb after the Farplane incident.”

“Can you blame him?  He thought you’d died.”  Lulu’s tone turned serious.  “We weren’t prepared for that… not after the Eternal Calm.  Everyone thought the days of losing your loved ones were over.  You showed us how blind we were being, whether you meant to or not.  And your brother took it harder than most.  You should be kinder to him.”

Rikku winced, feeling guilty.  “I know… I’ll get in touch with him again soon, I promise.  I’m just not ready for that much Pollendina in my life again yet.  Not after Cid’s great Al Bhed dynasty restoration push.”

Lulu stole another long look at Chappu.  “Even if he’s difficult at times, your father loves you too.”

Rikku hugged herself more tightly.  “Don’t bring up Cid.  He’s going senile, I swear.”

“Well,” Lulu said, focused to a fault and zeroing in for another attack.  “If you don’t like the trouble he’s stirring up, then maybe you should get out there and try to stop him.”

She couldn’t stifle her laugh; Lulu was still doggedly persistent, and even motherhood hadn’t managed to blunt her sharp tongue.  “Alright, alright, I get it.  I’ll take that vacation.  Don’t be too surprised when you end up missing me when I’m gone,” she teased, springing to her feet.  Leaning over, she gave Lulu an awkward hug.  “Thanks, Lulu.  I guess I really did need someone to kick me in the pants about this.”

Lulu’s arms around her were warm, and the soft pats she placed on her back were comforting.  “I’m sorry if I sounded too harsh.  We’re simply worried about you, Rikku.”  She pushed the other girl back.  “Go.  Find your happiness.  You deserve it.”

Blinking back a few unexpected tears, Rikku smiled.  “Hey… tell Yunie thanks for me.  You guys… you really are the best family anyone could ask for,” she admitted.

Lulu nodded quietly.  “Take care of yourself, Rikku.  Come back safely to us this time, when you’ve found what it is you wanted.”

Grinning, Rikku gave her a little wave before ducking out of the tent.  She took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the bright Besaid sunlight, then moved quickly, making her way towards her tent.  The half-formed ideas in her mind rapidly crystalized into a plan of action.

.x.x.x.

The night breeze was welcome in the still-humid island air, carrying with it the salty scent of the sea stained with a light undertone of dried seaweed.  Rikku took a moment to appreciate the vast sea of stars stretching above her, easily visible from the rocky hill she stood on.  It had been hard work climbing this far up, but it was worth the effort, she reflected, taking a seat by the thundering waterfall.  She stretched out and dipped one lazy hand into the cool water, letting it rush over her fingers as she waited.

Eventually, she heard the sound of rock crumbling and sat up with a smile.  “Took you long enough,” she laughed.  “Some star athlete you’re turning out to be!”

“Hey!  I’m not the one who chose to sneak off in the middle of the night to climb up to the most remote place on Besaid island in the dark,” Tidus complained as he settled next to her, picking some leaves and vines that he’d collected on the way up out of his hair.

Rikku smirked.  “Married life is making you as soft as Wakka,” she teased.  “You wouldn’t have had this much trouble a few years ago, you know.”

Tidus continued to brush the foliage out of his hair, shooting her an exasperated glare.  “Hey, I’m not that out of shape!”

Her smug expression didn’t change as she elbowed Tidus in the ribs.  “If you say so,” she sing-songed in her most annoying voice.

“Ugh,” Tidus grumbled, giving up on his hair and settling back.  He sighed, then glanced at her.  “So you’re really going now, huh?  Lulu was that convincing?”

Rikku scoffed.  “Don’t act so surprised.  Yuna was the one who put her up to it.”  Her scowl eased.  “Lulu’s the only one around here bossy enough to convince me, anyhow.  She was right.  Yuna was right.  I’ve stuck around for too long.”  She picked at her fingernails.  “What am I even doing here, Tidus?”

“Recovering,” he answered easily.  “People don’t understand that time is different for us.  There’s nothing wrong with wanting to spend as much time as you can with the people you love while they’re still around.”

“Yeah…”

“But it’s different for you,” Tidus finished for her.  “You miss Auron, and Yuna’s dad, and even my old man.  You’re starting to spend more time with them in your memories than you are here with us.  It’s not the same.”

Rikku pulled her knees in and leaned her forehead against them, nodding.  Then she snorted.  “You know, Lulu thought I might’ve been pining for you.  She was getting ready to chase me off the island personally.”

“Hah!”  Tidus paused with a frown.  “Well forcing me to sneak out here in the middle of the night probably isn’t helping,” he said pointedly.  “You really couldn’t just book a ship off the island like a normal person?”

She shrugged unapologetically.  “Not my style.  Besides… I don’t really want people tracking me right now, not with all the noise Cid’s making about Pollendina ‘royalty.’  The less anybody knows about where I am the better.”

Tidus groaned, rubbing a hand over his face.  “Tell me about it.  Shelinda sent another one of her representatives over to interview Yuna yesterday.  I guess she figures if she can get Yuna on board as an extended part of the Pollendina family, she can undermine Cid’s claims and strengthen New Yevon’s hold in Luca.”  He dropped his hands, his frustration still evident.  “It hasn’t even been a decade since Sin disappeared!  Why can’t people enjoy their lives and leave good enough alone?”

“That’s just how humanity works,” Rikku shrugged.  “I’m actually a little worried that I’ll forget how to be greedy like that one day.  It’ll mean I’m becoming less human.”

Tidus nodded slowly.  “Then it’s good that you’re leaving.  Being greedy means staying here, for me.  You should probably find out what it means for you,” he told her with a smile, grateful to switch topics.  “Don’t worry about Yuna.  She understands.  I mean, she doesn’t know-know, but she’s still a Summoner.  And she knows you’re still trying to get over Auron.  So… go do what you need to do.”

“Thanks, Tidus,” she said, leaning over to give him a hug.  Then she stood and cracked her neck.  “Alright.  I haven’t done this in a while,” she said, flexing her fingers and shaking her arms out.

“I’ll come with you for a little,” Tidus replied, standing up and joining her, his eyes sliding shut. 

That gave her pause.  “Wait, what?  Why?”

Tidus didn’t move, his eyes still screwed shut as he frowned.  “I’ve never found my form before, so I might as well do it while you’re still here, in case something goes wrong.”

“Really?  You never tried it, not even once in eight years?”

He cracked an eye open and glared at her.  “Rikku?  Shut up, I’m trying to concentrate here.”

That brought out a full-fledged smirk.  “Nothing will go wrong.  So…”  She drew the word out.  “You mean to say there’s something I’m better at than you?  Finally!”  As she spoke, she felt her bodysuit blooming over her ankles, rapidly climbing up her legs and torso with a series of soft clicks and clacks.

“Hey!  It’s not a race!” he sputtered, slamming his eyes shut and breaking into a sweat as he focused.  By the time she felt her powersuit closing around her neck, Tidus was surrounded by several swirling motes of glowing light, rapidly circling around his body.  She wondered what he’d look like, curious about his aeon form.  The light condensed and then exploded, and she took a step back in surprise.  She would have fallen into rapids of the waterfall if not for the rotating circle of metallic blades on her back, keeping her aloft.

“Feathers?  Really?” she asked as she caught a few of the glowing tufts that fell around her.  They disintegrated on touch, but when she blinked away the afterimages left by the spots of light, there were still two large wings protruding from Tidus’s back, and he was wearing a strange, imposing-looking suit of armor.  “Jecht wanted to grow wings, you know.  He never managed it.”

Tidus smirked, folding his arms over his chest while unfurling his wings proudly.  “Yeah, well, I’m not my old man.  You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”  They took off into the night sky, Tidus at a slightly slower pace than her as he grew acclimated to his new body.

“You know,” Rikku said conversationally as they looked down over the shrinking island.  “I think I saw Jassu drinking on the beach.  Which means he may have spotted us right back.”  Her smirk returned.  “Or should I say, spotted you.  I don’t think anyone would recognize me in my suit from this far up.”

Tidus flushed, but kept flying.  “So what.  If he blabs, I’ll just tell everyone Yuna loaned me her Garment Grid or something.  Or that he was drunk.”  He circled around her, diving and whooping.  “Hey!  This is fun!  I’ve gotta convince Yuna to come up here with me sometime!”

Rikku smirked, hovering in place.  It felt pretty good to be the avatar of an airship final form; she wasn’t working nearly as hard as Tidus to stay aloft.  Still, as she focused on the darkened island in the sea below, she felt something inside of herself shift.

It’s time to go. 

“Tidus,” she called out, swooping down to fly next to him.  “I’m leaving now.  Take care of Yunie for me, will ya?”

“Stay safe,” Tidus replied with a smile.  “Do what you need to do.  But don’t be afraid to call us if you need help.  You’re not alone here.”  He paused.  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe you should look for my old man.  You and Jecht were friends, and he always was full of the craziest ideas.  He might be able to help you.  Come up with something new, give you a strategy to find what you need.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” she admitted, “But even I don’t know where to find him.  Besides, I think I want to start where it all began… and ended,” she said, looking off to the horizon.

“The Farplane?” Tidus asked as he fell back.

She shook her head, feeling herself beginning to morph into Eden.  Turning, she gave him one last, small wave. 

“No.  I’m going to Zanarkand.”

Chapter Text

Sailing over the abandoned city, cutting through a night sky rife with pyreflies, Rikku contemplated how this might just have been the easiest journey to Zanarkand she’d ever undertaken in her life.  She touched down near the old campsite, her exosuit folding away even before her weight settled on the ground.

Then she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  The ocean lapped at the shore, and the pyreflies twisting thickly through the ruins sang their haunting, melodic song as loudly as ever.  For a moment she let herself drift with them into her memories.  She heard her former companions spring to life all around her, familiar voices overlapping one another, but kept her eyes closed.  She neither wanted nor needed to see them again; she’d promised not to dwell in the past.  Only after the turmoil in her heart died out and she was sure she stood alone in the darkness did she allow her eyes to slide open.

Letting out the sigh she’d been holding in, she took a closer look at her surroundings.  The campfire was cold and dark, and there wasn’t a single person in sight.

“You did good, Isaaru,” she admitted grudgingly.  She still considered the man to be an embarrassment to the legacy of Spira’s Summoners, but at least he’d had the good sense to shut down Cid’s ill-fated tourist trap idea.  Instead, he’d thrown himself into the politics inside of Bevelle.  She’d lost track of him until he contacted Yuna out of the blue a few years ago.  Apparently, guilt had plagued him enough that he’d wanted to share the news of his successful designation of Zanarkand as a Spiran cultural heritage site.

“And finally, no more tourists,” Rikku sighed, stretching her arms over her head.  Apart from the regularly scheduled Guardian patrols to clear out the more dangerous fiends, Zanarkand was once again the quiet, secluded ruins it had been in Braska and Yuna’s time.  There was evidence here and there of the theme park it had nearly turned into: piles of trash that didn’t belong; gaudy road signs and markers, and modern benches scattered along the ruined highway that hadn’t been there before.  But as Rikku strolled down the highway, it became easier to forget and lose herself in the timelessness of the city of dreams.

As she approached the dome, habit kept her eye sharp for fiends.  The Godhand formed around her wrist, but there wasn’t any true need for it; the sheer number of carefree monkeys scampering around told her that the last Guardian fiend hunt must have occurred fairly recently.

She found out just how recently as she crossed into the dome.

“Hey!”  A stern shout caught her.  “Stop right there, we’re in the middle of an operation here!  No visi—wait.  Rikku?”   The helmeted officer jogged over to greet her, and as he lifted his visor, a smile spread across Rikku’s face. 

“Yaibal?  Is that you?”

“In the flesh,” Yaibal answered.  His teeth shone unnaturally bright against his dusky skin in the half-twilight of the pyreflies.  “What’re you doing here?”  His smile became guarded.  “Are you visiting as a Pollendina?”

Rikku’s grin fell.  “What do you think?” she asked, crossing her arms and huffing.

“I think—” he began, clearly uncomfortable, before another voice cut him off.

“Yaibal!  She’s good.  I’ll vouch for her.”

Rikku spun around, gaping in surprise.  “Paine?”

“Hey Rikku,” Paine said coolly, descending through the rubble in quick strides.  She waved a hand at Yaibal.  “At ease, soldier.  Help them wrap up inside, I’ve got this.”  She waited until the other man disappeared, then turned and raised an eyebrow.  “What’re you doing here?  I thought you were still in Besaid.  I didn’t hear an airship coming in.”

“Well,” Rikku hedged, scratching her cheek.  “I kinda hiked in.  Y’know!  For old times’ sake!”

Paine’s flat look was telling.  “And you didn’t see the multiple signs warning civilians to stay away?  We’re in the middle of a dangerous operation.  It’s not safe.”

Rikku rolled her eyes.  “Oh, come on.  You know I can handle myself—”

“When you’re wearing a Garment Grid,” Paine cut her off brusquely.  “Which you gave up on doing six years ago.  You’re lucky we’re nearly done here.  Otherwise I’d have had to divert some of my manpower to escort you off the premise.”

“Golly gee, I missed you too, Paine,” Rikku replied, pouting.

They glared at one another for a few seconds before Paine’s shoulders dropped slightly, a tiny smile passing over her face.  “I did miss you, actually.  How can you stand staying in one place for so long?  And Besaid, at that.  There’s nothing there besides Yuna and her family.  I’d feel like a third wheel.  A very bored third wheel.”

“That must be why you never visited us there.”  She jumped up and gave Paine a hug despite the chastisement, gratified to feel the other woman return it grudgingly.  Paine had never been one for public displays of affection, particularly in front of her own troops.

“Maybe.  But ever since Nooj put me in charge of the anti-fiend operation unit, I’ve been busy.”  Her crimson gaze turned accusatory.  “We could’ve used your help, you know.  Even without your Garment Grid, you’re still the best alchemist in Spira.  Instead you holed up in some two-boat town on the edge of the world teaching the locals how to use machina to weave and catch fish.”

Rikku put her hands up in protest.  “Hey!  No judgement!  Besides, working with the Guardians would be way too high profile right now.  Didn’t you hear what Yaibal just asked me?  What the heck has Cid been doing while I wasn’t looking, anyway?”

“Making noise about reparations again,” Paine replied, gesturing for Rikku to follow her.  “Who would he even ask?  Most people responsible for the destruction of Home are already dead.”  They went deeper into the dome; here and there, Rikku could hear shouts and orders ring out as Paine’s troops efficiently cleared the area of fiends and checked for hostile machina. 

Paine had committed herself to the development of the Guardians – an independent ‘security task force’ based in Luca made up of former Crusader and Youth League Members.  From all accounts she’d fought her way up to being a relatively high-ranking member in the organization.  The only reason she wasn’t acting as a leader was her complete aversion to publicity; she’d probably threatened Nooj with bodily harm if he didn’t let her keep her position as a field captain.

“You know,” Paine said as they scrambled over the ruins, her eyes darting back in forth in assessment, “I don’t think it’s entirely Cid’s fault.  He may have started this mess, but word on the street is that the movement is being spearheaded by a new leader.  Someone younger and more charismatic than your dad.”

Curiosity piqued, Rikku frowned.  “Actually, I was wondering why the heck Gippal couldn’t bring my pops under control.  Cid likes to talk big but folds like a house of cards under any kind of pressure.”

Paine paused and smirked at her.  “What?  Too chicken to ask Gippal yourself?”

Flushing, Rikku scowled at Paine.  “Yes, really!  I am!  I can only turn him down so many times before I start to feel like the bad guy.  Now stop diverting and get to the meat!  Who’s responsible for making my life miserable this time?”

Paine snorted.  “I never met the guy.  He’s a former blitzer named Berrik.  I heard he used to be captain of the Psyches, but he retired four years ago and became one of Cid’s dynasty restoration flunkies.  Never joined up with the Machine Faction; they say he was upset that Gippal spread the tech to followers of New Yevon.”  Paine paused, huffing in a breath.  “Can’t say I disagree with him on that point.  Do you know this guy, Rikku?”

“Berrik?”  She winced.  “Yeah, sorta.  Well, I mean, not me personally, but I heard he was one of the biggest pains in Wakka’s side when Wakka was captain of the Aurochs.  I think he tried to kidnap Yuna once, too.”  Though Rikku had never met the man, she knew the makings of a fanatic when she saw one.  Even before the Eternal Calm, Berrik had been outspoken.  And a blitz team captain too?  “Pops… what have you gotten yourself into now?” she muttered, straightening when she realized they were already in the carpeted hallway that was leading to the Cloister.

“Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this Berrik guy’s going to become your problem sooner or later,” Paine said as she stopped at a makeshift command center.  “He’s hell bent on establishing some sort of Al Bhed nation in Djose and he wants a Pollendina at the head of it for legitimacy.  Cid’s too old and Brother already turned him down.  That means he’ll be coming for you next.”  She held up a hand to shush Rikku while coordinating with a few of the other soldiers waiting there.

“Tellah, go find Yaibal and tell him to pull back to the base camp in the city.  Leon, you meet up with Ingus and do the same.  I want each team withdrawing in pairs.  Slow and methodical, make sure you don’t miss anything.  We’re not coming back here for a couple of months, so we don’t want to leave anything behind.”

“Yes ma’am!” the soldiers said in unison, saluting before dispersing into the ruins.  Paine turned around at the sound of Rikku’s clapping.

“What?” she said irritably.

“That was impressive!  You’ve really grown into your role, Captain,” Rikku told her proudly.

Pain hid her blush behind an eye roll, crossing her arms.  “Well, what about you?  What’re you doing in Zanarkand?  You’re welcome to come back to Gagazet with us, but I’ll warn you.  I’m on a schedule.”

Rikku shook her head.  “Thanks for the offer, but I just got here.  I want to stay for a little bit!  Catch up with my memories,” she murmured, looking around the decrepit hallway.

Paine’s expression softened.  “It’s still hard for you, huh?  I get it.”  Unbidden, she reached out and pulled Rikku into a hug.  Reflexively, Rikku returned it, too surprised to reply.  “Sorry for being so busy these last few years.  But we’re still friends, Rikku.  You know I’m just a comm sphere away if you ever need me.”  With a cough, Paine pushed Rikku away, refusing to meet her eyes.

“Aww… you sent all your troops away just so they wouldn’t see you do that,” Rikku teased, her happiness burning away the lingering melancholy that always seemed to permeate Zanarkand’s atmosphere.

“I have a reputation to keep,” Paine replied, two spots of color high on her cheeks.  She leveled a serious look at Rikku.  “I mean it.  If this Berrik person gives you any shit, you let me know.  I won’t let anyone mess with my friends.”

Rikku nodded emphatically.  “Sure thing, boss.  Though maybe you should worry about Yuna, too.  Tidus told me Shelinda’s been leaning on her a little too hard lately.”

Paine’s eyes narrowed.  “Huh.  I knew she was bad news when she kept at it even after Baralai tried to stop her.  I’ll let Nooj know.  Thanks for telling me.”  She shook her head.  “Damn.  First the Pollendina Restorationists, and now a New Yevon revival, too?  Sometimes it feels like we’re the world’s biggest babysitters.”

“Well, I think you’re doing great so far.”

“Explain that to Berrik and Shelinda.”  Paine sighed and gave her a measured, judging look, ending with a smirk.  “At least you could say I got a lot of practice in before I took this job.”

Rikku puffed out her cheeks in a sulk.  “I’m just gonna pretend you’re talking about the Crimson Squad there, doctor P.”  She relented, a genuine smile of gratitude peeking out.  “Thanks for taking care of the fiends.  I think I’m gonna stay for a bit… there’s some people I wanna see here.”

Paine nodded in understanding.  “You’re the strangest Al Bhed I’ve ever met.  Most swear off a place this thick with pyreflies.”

“What can I say?  I’m special,” Rikku chirped, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Paine laughed.  “That you are.  I’ll catch you later, Rikku.  Don’t be a stranger.”  Lifting her hand in a wave, she jogged out after her troops.

Sighing, Rikku swung her arms and turned around, her eyes locking onto the stairwell that would take her into the Cloister’s depths.  “I can do this.”

Still, she stalled on the way down, her eyes lingering on the patch of ground where she and Tidus had dragged Auron after their battle with Yunalesca.  As if responding to her memory, their ghostly shapes took form.  She realized it now, as her memory-self fretted over Auron’s unconscious body; how wane and stretched thin he’d looked.  She could clearly see all the clues she’d forced herself not to process then: his gaunt cheeks and the unnatural paleness of his skin.  The candle of his life had already begun flickering low.

Biting back a sigh, she tore herself away and marched down the crumbling steps.  Someone had installed a guard rail during Zanarkand’s commercialization; while it made the going easier, it was an unwelcome intrusion into her refuge of memories.  She could feel them all around her; ghosts of Auron, Braska and Jecht as they puzzled through the Trial with her.  Shaking them off, she continued into the next room, pausing only long enough to watch Yuna and Braska dancing their way across the tiled floor in near-perfect tandem. 

“How long has it been since I’ve seen a Sending?” she wondered as their images faded.  There were still people like Yuna, Dona, and Isaaru about – former summoners who retained the knowledge of the old rituals.  She’d heard New Yevon was trying to train priests to perform the Sending once again; it was quite possibly the one good thing Shelinda was actually doing.  But the old ways had fallen out of fashion alongside the false religion of Yevon; without anything left to summon, most of the trappings of Summoners were rapidly passing into obscurity.

She looked at the pyreflies arcing through the room, feeling a pang of regret that she couldn’t help release them from their eternal prison herself.  They’d concentrated so thickly inside of the dome for a thousand years that she wasn’t sure anything could.   “I’m sorry… I could only do the dance because of Lenne,” she told them.  Their soft cries echoed through the room, unhearing and uncaring of her regrets.  “But I promise we haven’t forgotten.  I haven’t forgotten.”

Braska’s shadow stopped by her side, looking up at the ceiling.  She remembered it; how he’d tried to Send the pyreflies trapped inside the dome, but there’d simply been too many.  Her hand made its way to her heart, feeling an aching pulse there as his image faded.  At least Auron had been able to tell her goodbye.  Braska’s abrupt departure from her life was still something she shied away from, much like she had from his romantic overtures in life.  She’d kept those parts of her feelings tightly bottled up, afraid that she’d let something beyond their friendship slip around Yuna if she allowed herself dwell on it. 

Yunie isn’t here now, though. 

Shaking off her uneasiness, she made her way towards the elevator.  The runes activated with a soft hum; the air cooled around her as she descended into the Chamber of the Fayth.  The platform stopped with a loud rumble, sending monkeys everywhere fleeing.  Resolutely, Rikku marched over the empty statue of Zaon – it sent a shiver down her spine, walking over what was practically his grave.

The antechamber looked worse for the wear.  Attempts had been made to repair the stonework, and the ripped tapestries had been replaced with newer hangings during Isaaru’s tenure as a tour guide.  Without Yunalesca’s power to sustain the chamber, however, it was finally succumbing to the inevitable decay of time.  She watched a memory of herself and Auron in a corner, waiting anxiously for Jecht and Braska to return.  Her eyes lingered on their forms, and she found it hard to breathe for a few long moments until the image faded.  Shaking her head, she picked her way over the fallen rubble, gingerly approaching Yunalesca’s sanctum.

The heavy double doors were jammed shut; Isaaru’s magic, from the feel of it.  It would be an effective seal at keeping out intruders… if they were human.  Taking a breath, Rikku closed her eyes, feeling below the surface towards weave of the enchantments woven around the stone doors.  She imagined them as threads spread like a spider’s web and began to gingerly pick her way through them, careful not to disturb his work.

She wasn’t sure how long it took her to pass through the seal, but eventually she came back to herself and leaned on the stone doors.  They were stuck even without Isaaru’s ward, having been left untouched for so many years, but Rikku threw her weight into it.  With a groan, the doors gave and swung open.  Steeling herself, she marched inside.

The exit creaked shut behind her and for a moment, Rikku felt very alone.  She was dwarfed by the starry sky that still pulsed overhead, making her feel as though the entire room was adrift in space.  Looking down, she saw herself and Auron fighting Yunalesca.  Yunalesca’s first form tumbled over the edge, and overtaken by curiosity, this time Rikku followed after the phantom.

There were cleverly hidden steps at the far end of the room, she realized, leading downwards into another chamber.  Intrigued, she descended along the uneven path.  Eventually, the stairwell opened up into a deep, wide cavern, bathed in darkness.  She could barely make out the shapes of dozens of twisted rocks rising from the floor from the starlight streaming in behind her.

With a sense of foreboding, Rikku called a weak flame to her palm, holding up her hand.  Shadows danced across the walls, and she choked as the rocks slowly revealed their grotesque forms in the weak light.

“This… is a graveyard,” she whispered, staring in horror at the collection of empty Fayth stones scattered throughout the room.  Each was meticulously detailed, hinting at the numerous guardians who’d given their lives to transform into a Final Aeon.  At first they appeared to be randomly spaced, but as she delved deeper into the chamber a morbid order emerged from their seemingly random placements.  Yunalesca had frozen their bodies purposefully into a stone gallery chronicling a thousand years of human sacrifice.  Rikku worked her way through them cautiously, a chill running down her spine as she glanced over the myriad of fantastical forms.  The flickering firelight almost made it seem like some of them were moving.

Her feet came to a standstill near one particularly familiar sweep of long hair; the spiked, metallic chains imprisoning her and the rapier at her side cemented her identity.

“Jihl,” Rikku breathed, studying the grave of the woman she’d helped kill.  Even in death Jihl was still beautiful, the curve of her back cutting a graceful, defiant line against the darkness.  Had she really been evil during her life as a human?  Or had being trapped as a Final Aeon against her will twisted her into the terrible creature she became: the most vengeful incarnation of Sin Spira ever witnessed?  Either way, her cruel life had ended at their hands, leaving nothing more than the fading memory of her story.

Edging away from the stone, Rikku inched her way through the room, taking her time to look at the other statues.  It felt like a responsibility to remember the forgotten Guardians of the past who’d unwittingly contributed to Spira’s cycle of destruction.  But even as she worked her way out of the stone exhibition, her brow wrinkled.

“Huh?” she wondered aloud.  Unsettling as it might have been, Yunalesca’s private chamber was full of nothing more than empty statues.  There was no Hymn being sung, no soft, tell-tale glow of light indicating the presence of a living Fayth.  There was nothing but stillness.

“Jecht… where are you?” she asked quietly, confused.

A soft breath blew over her neck.  “He isn’t here.”

Rikku’s spine locked, her eyes widening.  She whirled around, the Godhand already out and extended, crackling with electricity.  “Who—!”

“Mercy!”  The figure went down flailing in a cascade of robes, grunting as he hit the ground.

She pulled her punch at the last minute when her flame brought him into full view, and her jaw dropped.

“Wha—how—what are you doing here?!” she screeched, losing control over her magic, which gushed into a large gout of fire before disappearing completely.  The brief corona of light was still bright enough for her to make out the unmistakable blue eyes that peered up at her from behind the outstretched palm.

“Well… you did call me,” a familiar voice echoed in the darkness.  She heard him stand, felt his arms circle around her – warm, even, and the puff of his breath – his breath! – returned to her ear.  “How could I possibly refuse your request?”

Shuddering, Rikku threw her arms around him.  “Tell me I’m not dreaming right now,” she demanded, her voice shaking even as she pulled him against her in a bruising hug.  “Am I hallucinating?  Did the pyreflies finally get to me?”

She felt more than heard Braska’s soft laugh as his arms returned her embrace.  “In a manner of speaking.  Shh.  Stop thinking and just be in this moment,” he commanded, planting a soft kiss on the crown of her head.

Confusion and elation threatened to overwhelm her, so she focused on the feel of his robes beneath her hands, bunching them in her fist.  The fabric was soft and slightly scratchy; as real and present as his warm arms and his gentle voice, and the feel of his lips pressing against her head.  Her heart beat wildly in her chest.  When she turned her face into him, she realized she could feel his pulse racing underneath his skin, matching her own.  The quick movement caught him by surprise, and she sucked in a short, sharp breath as their cheeks brushed.  He pulled away, but not before she felt the whisper of his lips and rush of the exhale that escaped from between them against her own.  She looked up at him in shocked disbelief.  Braska was alive and in her arms.

“H-how is this even possible?” she choked out, unwilling to let him go for even a moment, afraid he’d disappear.  “You’re dead!”

“Rikku,” he chided, running his hands down her arms and gently loosening her white-knuckled grip.  “I told you to stop thinking for now.”

“Like I could!  You might as well ask me to stop being Al Bhed!” she yelled, releasing one of her death-holds only enough to beat against his chest with a balled fist.  “It’s been over two decades since you died!  How are you even here?!”

She felt more than saw Braska shake his head, his figure a shadowed form among the darkened shapes of the empty Fayth stones.  Taking her hand, he pulled her back towards the exit.  She followed numbly, her fingers clutching his, placing one foot in front of the other.

“I’d rather our happy reunion took place somewhere else,” Braska said as he led her away.  “I don’t have fond memories of this chamber.”

“Umm,” Rikku said, subdued as she realized what he meant; it was the room where Yunalesca had forced him to turn Jecht into a Final Aeon.  By all rights it should have been Jecht’s tomb, as well.  “Yeah, sorry…”

“Don’t be,” he replied without looking back, pulling her up the steps.

She drank in the sight of him when they escaped into the starlit vault.  “You’re dressed like a Summoner still,” she noted, taking in his decorated belt and familiar, sweeping robes and headdress.

He paused, turning to face her, and smiled faintly.  “So I am.  I take it you’re not a fan?”

“I saw you die in those clothes,” she mumbled.  “Are you Unsent?”

He let out a soft huff of laughter.  “No.  I’ve no soul left to Send, Rikku.  But I can at least make you feel a little more comfortable in my presence.”  His clothes glowed and wavered, almost as if he was wearing a Garment Grid.  When the light show resolved, his hair was decidedly shorter, and he was dressed in colorful shorts, a tropical shirt, and the sandals they’d cobbled together for him while visiting Kilika.

Rikku let go of his hand, a frown on her face.  “You… you’re not really here, are you,” she said finally.

He smiled again, and it was somewhat sad.  “Your memories have brought me here, and the pyreflies have given me form.”  He raised his hand, and she heard the song swell around them.  “I suppose in this manifestation, I could be Sent,” he admitted.  “But I wouldn’t travel to the Farplane.  I’d simply be reunited with your body.  Perhaps if you remained here and thought of me wistfully enough, I’d come right back.”  He tilted his head.  “I could never refuse you, after all.  You are my soul.”

Rikku swallowed, then leaned forward and prodded him.  He humored her with patience, his eyes trained on her as though he, too, were drinking in the sight of her.  It was as if he’d felt her absence just as keenly as she had his.  She pulled back her finger, cradling it; Braska seemed real enough to her.  Leaning back, she crossed her arms and studied him.  “So you’re not Unsent, but you’re also not real?  Are you just a figment of my imagination?”

He frowned.  “It sounds so demeaning when you put it that way,” he grumbled.  “What I am is the Braska you knew, and yet not.  For I am only the Braska you remember, and nothing more.”

Some of Rikku’s euphoria trickled away with his words.  “You’re here but you’re not whole, you mean.  Like how I summoned Tidus before, except… there’s nothing underneath my own memories.”

He nodded.  “In a manner of speaking.  I am a part of you now, and you’ve managed to summon what’s left of me, at the least.”  He sighed, looking around.  “It does feel quite good to have a body again.  Since I can already tell you’ll be turning this over relentlessly in your mind, let me assure you that I take no offense to this partial existence you’ve granted me.  In fact, I’m rather grateful,” he added, stepping closer to her and grasping her chin.  A soft smile bloomed over his face as he leaned in.  “You’ve given me the chance to bask in your presence again.  It’s all I could’ve asked for.”

Rikku rolled her eyes, grabbing his hand and pulling it off of her.  “Still got that tongue on you,” she grumbled.  He smirked, unperturbed as she took a step back.  “I think you’re right.  It’s all you could have asked for.  I’m not sure it’s all that Braska would have asked for, though.  He was more than just my memories of him.”

A hint of sadness touched Braska’s face at her declaration.  “That’s true.  But I’m here now, and it’s your longing that brought me to be.  Your desire to see me again.  Am I… causing you pain by being here?” he asked, for the first time with a hint of uncertainty.  “Even incomplete as I may be, I know enough of myself to understand that I would never wish that upon you.  I’ve no desire to hurt you, Rikku.”

Her initial surprise had already since faded into suspicion; now, as they stared each other down, she finally felt her heart slow as she parsed his words.  “So you’re made of pyreflies.  I’m guessing you can’t leave the dome, huh?”

Braska shrugged, then looked at the closed stone doors.  “I’d like to leave this room, at the least.”  He tilted his head.  “A summoner warded that door.  I wonder if I can pass through?” he mused.

“Hey!  You’re not going anywhere until we talk,” Rikku insisted, folding her legs under her and sitting on the floor to make her point.  “What do you mean, I called you here?  I came here because I missed Auron, not you.  Actually, I was looking for Jecht.”  She winced even as she said it, knowing just how callous she must have sounded.

Braska sat next to her, managing to make the motion look graceful despite his tacky clothing.  “Well, I suppose we could start with a conversation.  It would be a much more productive one if you’d stop lying to yourself.”

Spluttering, she slapped a hand on the floor.  “You got your ego back too!  What do you mean lying?  I’m having a mid-life crisis here!”

“Firstly, you are nowhere near the middle of your lifespan,” Braska told her, “And secondly, I am only here because you wanted it.  I am a part of your soul, Rikku, just as much a part of you as that weapon is,” he said, nodding his head towards her Godhand.  “You’ve merely never had the means or desire to manifest me as you do that instrument.”

He looked around, and then dropped his gaze back to her.  “It’s true that I’m not entirely real, for I no longer exist in time or space without you.  I have only my past, as defined by your memories of it.  And my only possible future… is by your side.”  He reached out and ran a finger down her cheek, his eyes tracing the path he drew.  “It doesn’t feel so different from my real life, I think.  I’m still fragmented.  Though I suppose… I wouldn’t know any longer, since I have no basis of comparison to the man I was before,” he mused with a hint of melancholy.  His eyes flicked up to meet hers.  “But that means that these feelings I have for you are also yours.  You can lie to yourself as much as you want, but my existence is proof enough of how you feel.”

“Proof?” Rikku repeated weakly, suddenly glad she was sitting.

His look was chastising, and she couldn’t hold his gaze.  Instead, she stared at the tops of her boots and really thought about how she felt.  Nervously, she probed around the tightly shut corners of her mind.  The part of her that was scared of having Yuna discover she was carrying a piece of Braska’s soul within her; that she had helped utterly destroy her best friend’s father, all because he had a crush on her.

Swallowing, she pried at the lid of that corner of her mind, working it loose.

It wasn’t just a crush.  And it wasn’t just him.

She let out a shaky breath as his fingers ghosted over her chin once more.

“Is it truly so awful?” he whispered as he drew close enough that the spiked strands of his short hair brushed against her face.  “Being honest about your desires?”

She looked up, holding her breath.  He chased after her inhale as though pulled in, his lips closing over hers.

He’s not even real, her mind whispered.  Her body ignored her, flooded with a sudden and overwhelming mix of desperation, loneliness, and most of all the banked desire that she’d so studiously ignored ever since she’d become aware of Braska’s feelings for her during the Pilgrimage.

I always held back when he was alive, she realized dimly.  When am I ever going to see him like this again?  Could I really let him go now to become yet another regret in my life?

Be honest, he’d instructed her.  Resolutely, she flung open the rusted lid on her feelings, those emotions she’d so carefully guarded for the sake of peace with Auron, with Yuna, even with herself.  And spilling out from them came a heady craving so intense that she shuddered from the force of it, alongside an aching, wistful love for the broken, flawed man who’d offered himself to her in vain so often.  So what if he wasn’t complete?  I want to be greedy, she realized.  And this time, she was going to take whatever she could get.

He felt the change immediately.  Though their lips were pressed together, Braska’s parted and his low, guttural moan of disbelief escaped against her mouth.  And then his hands were clutching the back of her head, pulling her towards him as though he was afraid she’d draw back, change her mind and run away.  He angled her, fitting his mouth more snugly against hers, and coaxed her lips to part.  His tongue followed swiftly, thrusting forward to taste her.  Another deep, primal noise bubbled up from his throat and she rubbed her thighs together, suddenly remembering just why Braska had given her so much trouble during the Pilgrimage.

She pulled back from him long enough to gasp in a few wheezing pulls of air; he didn’t wait for her, instead sealing his lips against her skin.  Nipping and nibbling his way down her chin and neck, he stopped to suckle her pulse point.

“Ah,” she gasped semi-coherently.  “Maybe we should move—”

“No!”  His answer was nearly a shout against her skin; he didn’t even bother pulling away, instead tracing his tongue against her collarbones.  She panted breathlessly when he ducked low, her nerves tingling in anticipation.  His mouth continued to sluice a wet line of desire along the curve of her breast.

Braska pulled away from her with a wet smack, but his fingers instantly took the place of his tongue, probing and stroking at her nipple through the thin fabric of her clothing until it stood at attention.  Every tweak sent a jolt down her spine, ending straight between her legs.

It’s been so long since I’ve felt this way.  She struggled to keep her eyes from falling shut in pleasure, desperate to keep him in her sight, to watch him move.

“We’re not going anywhere,” he swore, meeting her eyes.  There was only thin sliver of blue framing the depths of his burning gaze.  She felt his desire hit her as intensely as the kneading roll of his fingertips. 

“I’ve waited far too long for this moment,” he continued, his voice dark with banked hunger.  “The world could burn around us for all I care.  You are not getting away this time.”  He palmed her breast again, directing his gaze to the evidence of her own arousal, his features sharpened with need.  He shifted, and she felt the length of him harden and twitch against her leg.  “Our bodies react to our will.  I’d tell you to think your clothes off, but—”

She shuddered as he swiped his thumb over her stiff nipple, slowly pressing it down and watching it spring back with rapt attention.

“—I don’t want to deny myself the pleasure of undressing you,” he finished, bringing his fingers to the clasp of her vest and deftly unbuckling it with one hand while the other occupied itself by sneaking under her skirt.

“Y-you’re a little too good at this,” Rikku choked.  The flush climbed higher on her cheeks in tandem with the fingers that were tracing along the curve of her backside.  “Should I be insulted?”

“Consider my entire library of experience to be practice for this very moment,” he said over the soft pop of another clasp coming undone, still staring intently at her chest.  With one final click, he removed the last hook and pushed the fabric aside, revealing a swath of pale skin between her breasts.

She shivered as the cool air hit her flushed skin, and he smiled and bent down, spreading his palm flat against her abdomen.  He blew a soft puff of wind against the band of her exposed flesh, raising goosebumps.  His other hand caught her hip when she jerked upwards involuntarily, snagging underneath the fabric of her tight skirt and causing it to pull with delicious friction against her core.  Noticing her reaction, he smiled.

There was something smug in it, and her brows drew together.  Trying to unscramble her thoughts enough to regain the upper hand, she buried a fist into his hair and pulled his head back.  “What are you so arrogant about?” she hissed.  “Doesn’t this basically count as masturbating?”

He laughed at her, surging up to close the distance between them.  She felt his chest pressing against her over-sensitized breasts acutely and mourned the loss of his heated fingertips against her hip.  As they struggled against one another, the quick beat of his heart seemed to sync with the insistent pulse between her thighs.

He pulled his mouth away from her long enough to gasp an answer.  “I don’t mind.  If you want to use me as a toy for your pleasure, then I’ll willingly offer myself as one.  I still consider it a victory,” he said, leaning in with a smirk before catching her lips, swallowing her objections with another starved kiss.  When he finally pulled away, his amusement had fled, replaced once again by that dark intensity that might have frightened her if she wasn’t so willingly stoking it.  “I’ve burned so brightly for you, Rikku.  Even as I stepped aside and let Auron have his due, I wanted you.  I watched you two together sometimes.  Stole away to see him lie with you, and imagined myself in his position.” 

His smooth voice was turning gravelly with need.  Trembling fingers pushed back her clothes, exposing her to him; he watched the rise and fall of her chest with intent concentration, sweat beading along his brow.  He jerked forward when her breath stuttered and caught himself at the last second, drawing back and licking his swollen lips.

“Sometimes I would touch myself.  Hear your cries, and let them carry me to a place where you writhed under me instead.  I would bring myself to the brink thinking of you surrounding me, aching for me as I did for you.  But I was never truly satisfied,” he breathed, lowering his head next to her ear and hovering as his hands made quick work of her belt.  “It couldn’t possibly be enough.  My mind couldn’t replicate the perfection of your body, your soul, with mere base, hidden cravings.”

He pulled back, dragging her skirt off, and then stooped low to work her boots off one by one.  All the while his voice carried on in a mesmerizing lilt, a hypnotic spell he was weaving with the tales of his desire.

“I wanted to have you openly.  Willingly.  Passionately.  Meeting you in the light, not like a wounded animal slinking away in the depths of the night, trying to lick its own wounds.  No.  Your body is a temple meant to be worshiped.”

He pulled off her socks almost reverently, and then bent her knee, lifting her ankle to his lips and kissing it softly.  Running his thumb down the side of her calf, he carefully moved her leg to rest on his shoulder.  His hands swept upwards, over her shaking thighs.  “This is what I wanted.  To reveal the walls of your temple, inch by inch.  To have your eyes upon me, knowing and recognizing exactly who brought you to this state.”

His fingers traced over the edge of her underwear, moving to linger on the growing patch of wetness on them.  He pressed in slightly, and she hissed, eliciting another of his half-smiles.

“Every inch of flesh,” he intoned, his fingers catching the fabric and pulling it aside, “Every quiver that I see and feel is an altar to worship on.”  He brought his mouth low, his warm breath ghosting over her exposed core.  His eyes flicked up to meet hers.  “I want to sacrifice myself to you, again and again.  I want you to remember every supplication I make.  I want you to take my offering and burn me in the process.”

He lowered his head and lapped at her with the flat of his tongue, torturously slow.  His voice shook when he spoke again.  “Accept the pleasure I gift to you.  Make it your own, and demand even more of me.  Be an unreasonable goddess,” he murmured, his fingers digging into her thighs.  One hand snaked up, his fingers stretching to circle her clit, drawing a whimper from her.  His expression tightened with lust.   “Punish me.  I beg of you.  Use me as you will… just let me be your choice this time.”

“Braska,” she breathed, and he took it as her acceptance, dipping his head low and sealing his mouth against her with another soft groan.

.x.x.x.

Rikku lay on her back, staring at the stars twinkling overhead.  Her brow furrowed.  “It’s not real.  They don’t even move,” she mumbled.  “Everything stands still here.”

Braska groaned and rolled over, throwing an arm over her torso.  “Not everything stagnates here,” he mumbled, his voice muffled by her thigh.  She jerked her leg, shaking him off, to which he let out a tired grunt of protest.  “You’re willing to move already?  Did I not work hard enough?” he asked, shifting onto his back and crossing his arms under his head.  His hair had lengthened again, this time caught in the long, unkempt braid he’d twisted together in Baaj.  He hadn’t bothered to cover himself, and Rikku spent a moment tracing the lines of his lean, sweat-drenched body appreciatively with her eyes.

“Don’t be cute,” she said, snuggling into his side and pushing herself up onto her elbows to stare down at him.  “You look like the cat that got the cream.  And don’t you dare make a dirty pun!” she added, flushing.

He shrugged innocently, though there was a definite twinkle in his eye.

“I mean, just because you got what you wanted doesn’t mean everything’s okay now.”  She sighed, dropping her chin onto his chest, and let her eyes flutter closed as she felt his fingers trace a slow and deliberate path up and down her shoulder.

“I hope this was also what you wanted.”

Rikku’s eyes shot open and met his; the smile had faded from his face, and he looked… worried.

As if that performance would leave anyone worried, she thought dazedly.  “Yeah.  It was.  I’m a big girl, so don’t blame yourself this time.  Or do, because you’re me.  I don’t even know what Auron would make of us right now if he were here.  You’re not real.”

“It felt like your body thought I was real enough,” he smirked at her, his hand flattening against her back and eliciting a shudder.

“Forget Auron.  Yunie’s gonna kill me if she ever finds out,” Rikku groaned, suddenly remembering just why she’d kept that part of her life so tightly sealed away for the past few years.  She buried her face into her palms.  “Rumo sylrehy!  E zicd vilgat ran tyt!”

Braska winced, removing his hand.  “You certainly know how to kill the mood,” he grumbled, helping her sit up.  “But I’m sure you didn’t disturb my post-coital stupor just to complain to me about my daughter.  What’s on your mind?”

“Lots of things,” she sighed, reaching for her clothes and re-dressing herself.  Braska looked as if he wanted to sulk, but a moment later he, too, was fully dressed, albeit in his ocean-tattered shorts and undershirt.  “I came here to figure out how to get over Auron, but… I don’t think this,” she said, gesturing between them, “Was the healthy way to do it.  I mean, it was great and all,” she stuttered, feeling herself grow red at the understatement of the year, “I really, really missed sex and I finally feel like I got some closure with you on top of that.  But it’s all over now, isn’t it?  You’ve done what you came here to do, which was me.”

Braska’s eyes widened.  “I would hope that’s not the last of it!” he protested, putting up his hands when she glared at him.  “What?  I didn’t even use magic on you yet,” he complained.  His teasing expression sobered.  “Though I’m being serious.  All joking aside, I don’t wish you to banish me to a prison in your mind again after granting me this life.  I might not be whole, but… I am not the total figment of your imagination that you seem to believe I am.”  He ran a hand through his hair, looking away from her.  “I can still feel, and think, and want things on my own.” 

“You’re not just the sum of my expectations?” Rikku asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.  “Prove it, then.”

“I want you to bring Auron back so I can sleep with him, too,” Braska said candidly.

“Ugh,” Rikku groaned, slapping her palm into her face.  “I walked right into that, didn’t I?”

His laugh made her flush even more deeply.  “Rikku.  I am still my own person.  I want to leave this dome.  I don’t know if I can, but I desire it.  To see the world you and Yuna created.  To experience a Spira that no longer lives in fear of Sin.  To witness the Church of Yevon made obsolete, and the people of this world coming together regardless of their race or beliefs.  I want to meet my son-in-law.  I want all of this just as much, if not more, than I want you.”  He smiled wryly.  “Perhaps it’s not possible.  But I don’t believe you created these desires when you called me here.  They are my own, and they have always been.”

“You sound so real,” Rikku said, reaching out to cup his face.  “I want you, and all of this, to be real, but… happy endings aren’t that easy to come by, are they?”

“Perhaps they can be,” Braska replied with a crooked smile.  “I, too, want to be greedy.  Allow me to dream of this, at the least.  To pretend that we could have a life together outside of this moment.”

“Well, I don’t really want you to disappear or be trapped in this dome forever, either.”

“Then make it possible,” Braska said, a hint of desperation leaking into his voice.  “I meant every word I said.  Let me stay with you.  Not just as a presence in your mind, but as your companion.  Your lover, if you’ll allow me that much.  But most of all, as your friend.  You are the embodiment of possibility.  Surely there is a way.”

Rikku grabbed his trembling hands, drawing them close to her heart.  “I… I don’t know.  I’m sure I can’t make you human again.  I can’t even do that for myself.  But if I can make you real in Spira… I’ll try,” she promised.  Then she choked out a laugh.  “I don’t even know what I’m saying.  I don’t know how to make any of that happen.  But what’s one more impossible task to add to the list, huh?”

Braska drew her to him in a smothering hug.  “Thank you,” he murmured.  “With my damaged soul, I don’t know if I could be anything more.  And if I’m honest, this half-life, trapped in time with no future before me, chained to my past and my memories…  it’s the most appropriate punishment for someone like me.”

“Punishment?”  Rikku pushed him away.  “You made the ultimate sacrifice for Spira.  Why do you think you need more?  Are you a glutton for pain or something?”

“Yes,” he told her, leaning his head against hers.  “This is punishment for my cowardice.  I was never brave enough to attempt what you’re doing.  I never made new memories for myself after I lost Raenn, even after she entrusted me with our most precious creation, our daughter.  I never approached Auron with my feelings while he obediently performed all the duties which should have been mine.  And when you joined us and chose him, rather than being honest I watched you jealously from the shadows and tried using your guilt to trap you with me.”  He touched her cheek uncertainly.  “I don’t deserve to be reborn into the cycle.  And I certainly don’t deserve you.”

“Well…” Rikku swallowed.  “If you were trying to convince me that you’re not made up of my expectations, that was a pretty good job right there.  You’re being too hard on yourself.  I didn’t sleep with you just now out of pity, after all.”  She leaned up and planted a soft kiss by the side of his mouth, amused by his surprise.  “I did it because you made me fall in love with you, too.  And not just in some abstract way.”  She bit her lip.  “I wanted to be with you just as much as I wanted Auron, but I couldn’t admit that to myself at the time.  And I had to lose everything first before I could understand and accept what I felt.  I didn’t even really do that until I came here and you literally showed up in front of me.  So… doesn’t that make me just as big of a coward as you?”

Braska’s gaze was warm and penetrating.  “You shall never leave this dome if you insist on speaking that way to me,” he said softly.  The intensity of regard was making her flush red from head to toe.

“Look, we might have all the time in the world to explore our feelings, but this is definitely not the right place to do it.”  She waved her arm at the unmoving sky above them.  “Think about the memories we just left here!  I bet we’re gonna scar some poor archeologist for life in the distant future.”

Though he looked completely unrepentant, Braska did capitulate and stand up, his clothes morphing into traveling robes, minus the Yevonite belt and sweeping headdress.  His hair fell halfway to his back, neatly bound in a loose braid that was tied off with a familiar-looking white bow.

“I don’t remember you ever wearing that,” Rikku noted, circling around him.   “Or seeing your hair this length, either.”

“I thought styling myself in this manner might be more comfortable for you,” Braska said, studying his appearance with mild interest.  “I’ve never felt like my existence was limited by your imagination, thankfully.”

“Thankfully?”  Rikku put her hands on her hips, pouting.  “Hey, is that a dig?  I have a very fertile imagination, for your information!”

Turning, Braska swept his eyes up and down body in a slow, obvious assessment, lingering on her breasts and hips.  “As do I.  Thankfully,” he repeated with amusement.  “At least, if you continue to allow me to love you, I am quite sure you will be thanking me at some point.”

Cheeks warming, Rikku mumbled irritably under her breath, stomping past him.  “One good lay and he’s absolutely full of himself.  I knew this would happen.”

Braska shrugged at her, all smiles, and she sighed, bumping into him with her shoulder and grabbing his hand to lead him to the door. 

They managed to pass through much the way she came in – carefully, so as not to break Isaaru’s seal – and shut the doors behind them.  Thanks to the work of the Guardians, picking their way through the ruins was uneventful – not a single machina war machine or fiend stirred.  It was strangely peaceful, and Braska had grown quiet.  It was only when they approached the exit to Zanarkand that she discovered why.

“Well… this is it,” Rikku said, standing before the doorway.  “Let’s see if you can—”  She turned and stopped, seeing Braska hanging back.

He was staring outside at Zanarkand with a look of longing on his face.  But when he glanced at her, his smile was reserved, and he shook his head minutely.  “You must be able to feel it.  I cannot.  My body can’t exist out there.  Not like this.”

Rikku’s heart dropped.  “How can you be so sure?” she asked, frowning.

He stepped closer to her, taking her hand and weaving his fingers between hers.  Then, pulling her hand with his, he lifted it beyond the portal.  She watched as his fingers turned glassy and faded, pyreflies singing softly as they escaped to join the stream of their brethren in the sky above the ruins.

“Are you sure you don’t wish to stay longer in this dome?” he sighed wistfully, pulling his arm back in.  Though his hand reformed, his entire arm was starting to look translucent.

“Don’t go,” she whispered, turning away from the exit to bury her face in the crook of his neck.  She felt him lean in and brush his lips against her cheek.

“I won’t go anywhere.  I will always be with you,” he murmured.  “But you shouldn’t cry.  I knew it was unlikely that I’d be able to leave the dome like this.  Still, you’ll carry me with you no matter where you go.  And perhaps someday, you’ll find a way to make my dreams come true.  As you said… we have all the time in the world.”

“How can you say that while I’m watching you disappear?” she asked.  His entire body was shifting into translucency.  “It feels like you’re leaving me all over again!”

He traced her jawline, and then let his finger travel over her lips.  He paused and swiped his thumb over them with a wistful look.  Sighing, he continued to trace a path over the tip of her nose, finally coming to a stop in the center of her forehead.  He pressed in the skin there gently.  “I’m disappearing because you’ve already decided that you’re leaving.  As you should.  Jecht isn’t here anymore, after all.   And as much as I would like to flatter myself, I am no reason for you to stay.”

Rikku sighed shakily.  It might have hurt to see him disappear from her life once again, but ultimately, he was right.  She’d never find a way back to Auron – or keep her promise to Braska – if she didn’t keep searching.  “You don’t know where Jecht is now, do you?”

Braska smiled.  “Actually,” he said.  “He holds a half of my soul as well.  I can’t be certain… but I felt something. In Macalania.  Something stirs in the forest there.  I suspect that is where you will find him.”  He cupped her face.  “Be careful when you go.  Jecht always was a magnet for trouble.”

Rikku grabbed onto his robes.  “You’ll be with me even if I can’t see you?  You promise?”

He laughed at her.  Then he bent down and kissed her.  “I’ll be waiting,” he murmured, fading away.

Rikku stared at her empty hands, still outstretched as though she could hold him in her arms.  Finally, she dropped them and turned around, stepping out of the dome.

The pyreflies sang above her, watching and waiting as they wandered through the empty city.  For what, only they could know.

“Well, Braska,” she said, tearing her eyes away from them.  “Let’s get going.”

Chapter Text

Rikku made sure that taking on Eden’s form was a clandestine operation under the cover of night.  Since she wanted to avoid being sighted by Paine and the rest of the Guardians, she stuck dutifully to the west coast of the Wilderia continent, well away from Mount Gagazet.  It was a lengthy detour, and taking the long way around the Calm Lands left her with idle time to contemplate her next destination.  Though meeting Braska again had given her a clear goal, it also made her realize just how much agony she’d put him through during his Pilgrimage.  Paine’s teasing remarks, in hindsight, left her deeply unsettled.

“Too chicken to ask Gippal yourself?”

She couldn’t help but wonder if she was repeating history by avoiding contact with Gippal.  Besides, the news Paine had told her of the Restorationists was also concerning.  Besaid’s isolation offered a welcome respite from the politics and social obligations of the mainland, but it also kept her completely ignorant about developments that apparently everyone else in the world was hyper-aware of and concerned her intimately.

Being a part of the Pollendina family wasn’t something she could ignore… and Gippal wasn’t someone she wanted to ignore, either.  He’d certainly know what was going on if he was butting heads with Berrik, and he deserved to know how she felt about it… and him, as well.  After a moment of waffling, she turned and steered her course towards Bikanel Island instead.

Dawn was breaking over the desert when she landed; it was much too dangerous to approach the Machine Faction’s excavation headquarters from above in the morning light.  While larger airships like the Fahrenheit were still a rarity in Spira, Bikanel was the one place where the Al Bhed were most likely to notice and spot her if she arrived from the sky.  So, after some consideration, she touched down at the edge of the Cactaur Nation.   The cactaurs were ancient and eccentric enough to keep the nature of her arrival to themselves, and the light sandstorm whipping around their village made for good cover.  She paid Marnela’s tiny reborn cactus form a visit and was secretly relieved that Benzo, the Al Bhed interpreter, was nowhere to be found.

Fighting her way towards the edge of the whipping winds, she donned her traveling outfit.  Carefully she fitted her goggles over her eyes and wrapped a light scarf around her head to block out the scorching heat of the sun.  Then, with a deep breath, she pushed out of the storm and began the familiar, arduous trek over the rolling sands under the clear blue sky.

The sun beat down mercilessly, painting wavering mirages over the sands, and it wasn’t long before Rikku missed the coolness of the cactaur valley, gritty sandstorms notwithstanding.  Though she made good time across the dunes, when the sun began to peak in the sky she slowed down, searching for shelter.  A rocky outcropping offered just enough shade for her to take a pause and sip at her water.  Settling against the warm sands, she inventoried her pouches, counting her grenades and dark gems.  While the Al Bhed had reestablished regular machina patrols to keep the desert safe, nothing could truly tame the harsh wilderness of Bikanel.  Zus and sandworms still crossed over and under the rolling landscape, waiting to capture unwary travelers in their jaws.

When she was satisfied with her defenses, Rikku leaned back and let herself doze; it was the hottest part of the day, and she wasn’t foolish enough to attempt crossing the desert on her own.  She watched the flickering heat create mirages that formed and dissolved endlessly, witnessing visions that she knew couldn’t possibly exist. 

A younger Auron and Braska caught her eye, struggling through the sands.  Braska fell first, and Auron scrambled to pick him up, hauling the other man onto his back.  They continued for a while, before even Auron sank to his knees, overcome by the heat.  They lay there for some time, helpless, before a young Al Bhed woman rose from the sands, approaching them.  She lifted her goggles, revealing a face that bore a striking resemblance to Rikku’s own.  Rikku recognized the other woman’s outfit; she’d worn it before.  It was her aunt, Braska’s future wife.  Raenn put her hands on her hips and shook her head, rolling her eyes, and then sank to one knee beside them.

The three figures disappeared and were replaced by a splash of red and gold.  This time it was Auron, much older now, and accompanied by Tidus.  Behind them, Kimahri followed carrying Lulu in his arms, two vivid splashes of dark color against the incandescent sands.  The four of them crested the hill together, and then Tidus stopped.  He jumped up and down, waving his hands, and raced ahead of the others over a sand dune.  Rikku knew he’d find a younger version of her waiting at the bottom. 

The winds blew again and they vanished, replaced by a scrap of a girl sprawled in the sand with binoculars in hand.  The girl dropped the equipment to bury her face into the crook of her elbow, her shoulders shaking.  A larger figure kneeled beside her, frowning fiercely into the distance, then looked at the prone girl with a gentle, conflicted gaze.  Her brother, Keyakku, helped her younger self to her feet and dragged her away from her perch where she’d spied on Gippal and Nhadala. 

Shutting her eyes, Rikku let herself drift.  When she opened them again, she watched explosions flicker over the horizon, followed by an enormous plume of dust: the final end of their first Home, and also the grave of far too many Guado soldiers who’d blindly followed Seymour into his bloody war.  The cloud of dust puffed higher and higher into the sky, darkening the endless blue and masking the burning sun.

“Enough,” Rikku murmured, rolling onto her knees and scrambling to her feet.  That last view of the sky was no illusion; twilight was descending, and the oppressive heat of the day had finally broken enough to permit for travel again.  Taking one last long sip of water, she set out into the golden sands once more.

Activity picked up around her as she hiked her way in towards the excavation camp; besides the usual motley assortment of gravity bikes, sand sailors, and cross-country transports whizzing by, there was a familiar red airship parked prominently in the sky over the permanent headquarters.  “Huh,” Rikku muttered, adjusting her goggles.  “Guess it’s time for a family reunion.”

She broke into a jog, waving at the scattered groups of Al Bhed working on machina around the outskirts of the camp.  A few ignored her, but some waved back.  And even more did a double-take when they recognized her.  She noticed several figures go running towards the main building – Gippal had long replaced the tents with something more permanent – but was greeted not by the leader of the Machine Faction first, but a rather familiar-looking tattooed figure racing to meet her.

“Brother! What are you doing here?” she called out.  And then wheezed as he hit her with the force of a professional blitzball player harboring all of her speed but double her mass.  “Whoa!  Hey!  Lemmie go, you lunatic!”

After spinning her around once, Brother planted her on her feet and grabbed her by the shoulders, giving her a good shake.  He fired off his questions rapidly in Al Bhed, slightly more eloquent in his native tongue than he was with his hard-learned Spiran.

“I should ask that of you.  Are you not still living with your head buried in the sands of Besaid?”

“Ok, fair,” she managed to bite out between his shakes.  “But can you stop trying to shake all that sand out of me at least?”

He kept on going as if he hadn’t heard her.  “You finally got off of that island!  It’s about time!  Tell me, how is Yuna?  Is she still married to Tidus?”

Ducking out of his grip, Rikku reached up and smacked him on the side of his head.  “Yunie’s fine, and you need to stop asking about her already.”  She paused, and then reached her other hand up to rub her knuckles along both sides of his head.  “Hey, you changed your hair!”

“Yes.  I look good, don’t I?” he said, leaning back and preening as he showed off.  He’d traded in his signature Mohawk for a topknot with an undercut; it made his face slightly less stern and more angular to look at.  “Calli told me I looked better this way.”

A full-blown smirk overtook Rikku.  “Ohh?  Calli got you to change your hair, ehh?  Since when did you start paying attention to what Calli thought, huh?”

Brother crossed his arms defensively, his face turning the same tell-tale red hers could as he glared at the sky.  “Since she joined the Gullwings.”  He sniffed loudly.  “Seeing as how somebody left us hanging, we had to start recruiting.  Calli offered to join us and we have been having fun sphere hunting ever since.  Lots of fun.  So much fun.  You would not believe how much fun we have.”  He peeked at her from the corner of his eye, still sulking.  “Though you might if you rejoined us.”  The pleading note of hope in his voice was even more obvious than the puppy-dog side-eye he was giving her.

“Forget it,” she told him flatly, smushing his face away with her palm.  “I’ve had enough of being a third wheel on Besaid.  I’m not about to start all over again on the Celsius.” Turning on her heel, she marched towards the base camp, making for the entrance to the largest building.

“You would not be a third wheel!” Brother exclaimed, hurrying after her.  “The Celsius does not even have wheels!  You should come back to us.  Think of it.  The Gullwings reunited!  Spira’s best sphere hunters, back in action!”

“How about no?” Rikku laughed.  “YRP’s days are over and done with.  Yuna’s married and Paine is practically leading the Guardians now.  I’ll leave you guys to it, if you don’t mind.  Besides, I have my own mission to fulfill right now anyhow.”

Brother grabbed her arm, jerking her to a stop.  She spun around, her smile fading at the intense look on his face.  It wasn’t quite a glare… rather more like concern.  And even a hint of fear.

“Mission?  You’re on another mission?  Your last one… did not end so well,” he reminded her.  “What are you planning?”

Rikku’s indignation softened as she remembered Paine’s warning.  “I’m not going away again,” she told him, grabbing his hand and patting it.  “Not for a long while yet, at least.  Stop worrying, this time my vacation isn’t going to be dangerous.”

“This time?!”  Brother gripped her hands tightly, though his face drew down into a more familiar scowl.  “You say that now,” he grumbled.  “Well, fine.  It is good that you’re here.  Gippal needs to see you anyway.”

The worry spiked back up.  “This is about the Pollendina Restoration thing, right?  I heard some guy named Berrik tried to win you over.”

“Arg!”  Brother’s face screwed up into an expression of disgust.  “This Berrik is an asshole.  Did you know he is the reason I never signed with the Psyches?  He is very good at spinning tales that have nothing to do with reality.  And he thinks he is such hot stuff!  Do this, do that,” he mimicked with exaggeration.  “I am the leader around here!  I don’t like how he tries to order people around.”

Rikku nodded, resuming a slower walk towards the building.  “From what Paine told me, he does more than try.  He’s even got Pops under his thumb?”

They let out a soft groan of exasperation at the exact same time, then stopped to laugh in cynical acknowledgement. 

“Well you know father.  He always starts something big that he cannot finish.  Then he makes other people do it for him.  And we all pay the price.”  There was a surprising amount of bitterness in Brother’s tone; it was clear that he still hadn’t forgiven Cid for forcing him to be the one to push the button that destroyed Home fourteen years ago.  To be fair, she couldn’t blame him.  It’d needed to be done, but Cid had simply given the order.  He’d left the most painful part of filling that order that to his followers… to his son.

“So how’d you get away from those fanatics?” she asked.  “And what are you doing here?”

“I flew,” Brother shrugged.  “It’s not like this Berrik could stop me.  The Celsius was nearby, and I am not so bad at blitzing, even on land.”

That brought Rikku to a stop.  “Wait, he tried to kidnap you?”

Brother scratched his chin.  “Maybe?  He has experience with this you know.  I think he might have tried to take the Celsius too, but Shinra installed new security measures and Calli and Buddy use the Garment Grids.”  He shook his head.  “Berrik is just like that.  Very grabby-grabby.  He was convincing at first, but I do not think he actually wanted me to lead.  Just stand there and look pretty for him instead.  So I left.  But I warned him to stay away from you and Yuna first,” he added firmly.  “Or else, he would get to see the Gullwings in action personally.”

“Thanks.  This guy sounds like bad news,” Rikku grumbled, pushing her way past the heavy doors.  She sighed in relief as cool air hit her face, a stark contrast from the dry desert heat.  “Is that why you’re here now?”

“Yes.  He is challenging Gippal.  Since he is making so much noise about our family, I thought it would be good to have at least one Pollendina standing behind the Machine Faction.”  He shoved her with his elbow.  “Could be two you know!”

“We’ll see.”  She paused as Brother pushed a set of double doors open for her, ushering her into what looked like a command center.  Blue-lit maps with outlines of various excavation sites around Bikanel covered nearly the entire wall, and several Al Bhed were chattering and hustling in and out of the room with pieces of equipment, maps, and charts in tow.

Leaning over one of them was the man of the hour.  Gippal looked up, his eye crinkling into a smile at both of them.  “Well well well.  The Pollendina siblings, together again.  Now if that isn’t a sight for sore eyes.”

“Hey, Gip.”  Rikku raised her hand in an awkward wave, and Brother rolled his eyes, making a choking sound.

“You stop that,” Brother declared, pointing a finger at Gippal.  “Pollendina this, Pollendina that.  I am a Gullwing first!  Father can keep that stupid name for himself!”

Gippal’s eye narrowed.  “Names have power.”

“Bah!” Brother replied, crossing his arms and stomping to a corner of the room.  “And leave my sister out of this thing.  She will run back to Besaid and disappear again the moment you start!”

“I can speak for myself, you know,” Rikku huffed, crossing her arms and standing across the table from Gippal.  He straightened and winked at her.  “Brother’s kinda right, though.  I didn’t come here to join anybody’s cause.  I just wanna know what’s going on first.”

Gippal’s eyebrows shot up.  “You can’t tell me you haven’t heard anything yet!  Spira might be gearing up to go to war again, and your dad’s at the center of it.”

“Paine gave me a rundown,” she admitted.  “But I want to hear it from you.  Everywhere I go, people keep bringing up the family name and this Berrik guy.  How bad is it, really?”

Gippal sighed and flopped backwards into a chair, gesturing for her to have a seat.  He started speaking once she was settled.

“Well, you know Berrik.  He’s thirty-three years old and still as hot-headed as he was heading the Psyches.  Since signing on to Cid’s idea of a royal family, he’s been spreading rumors about the Pollendina dynasty’s great history with Spira.”  He laughed at the look of horror stealing over Rikku’s face.  “Yeah, really, that’s what they’ve been calling it.  According to the Restorationists, the dynasty has always been an integral part of shaping important world events. 

You know, they’re even saying now that Lord Braska traveled with an Al Bhed guardian at his side.  That your aunt Raenn married him just so she could give birth to a savior of Spira that could unite the two races.  Since she actually pulled it off, she pissed off the Church so much that they tried to have her assassinated.  But those Pollendina leadership genes were strong enough to win over even Yevon’s top assassin, the legendary guardian Sir Auron. 

Seeing that plan backfire, the Church then tried to spread the rumor that Raenn was killed by Sin instead.  But Berrik’s claiming that what really happened, see, was that the three of them busted Sir Jecht out of Bevelle’s dungeons.  Then they left on the Pilgrimage together.  Without Raenn Pollendina at his side, Lord Braska wouldn’t have defeated Sin the first time.”  Gippal shook his head in disbelief.  “They’re even saying they have sphere recordings from back then to prove it.”

Rikku had long since frozen over from the moment Gippal started regaling her with ‘Raenn’s’ adventures.  “This is a total disaster,” she managed to mumble through her slack-jawed shock. 

“Yep.  Then Yuna came along and picked you up for her Pilgrimage, and you guys saved the world again.  Twice.  Every single time something good’s happened, a Pollendina’s been right in the thick of it.”

“That’s just a coincidence!” Rikku snapped, feeling some of the surprise starting to fade into embarrassment and indignation.  Being compared to a mythological version of Aunt Raenn sucks.

"Yeah," Gippal said blithely, unaware of her inner turmoil.  “You know it’s all bullshit.  You were there.”

Rikku stifled a manic laugh.

“The problem is that everybody else wasn’t,” Gippal continued obliviously.  He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his forehead, letting out a tired moan.  “Berrik’s just too good at this shit.  He knows how to put a spin on anything and he’s got Cid eating out of his hand, backing up every single story he fabricates.”

“Father already gave him the Fahrenheit, but he still tried to steal the Celsius, too,” Brother reminded them.

Gippal nodded.  “The only reason anyone would be looking to establish that much air superiority is for strategic reasons.  He’s being pretty obvious about this power grab – I already had to cede control of Djose temple to him.  If my guess is right, he’ll be moving on to Luca next, since they’re likely to be more receptive to his propaganda.  At any rate, he’s gotta secure his south flank before he moves north onto Bevelle.  And he’s got half of the Al Bhed population hanging on his every word already anyway.”

“Everyone wants to believe they’re special,” Rikku murmured.  “That all of their suffering has a greater meaning.  That’s… it’s just cruel, to exploit our people’s misery like that.  To be honest… it feels a lot like what Seymour did to the Guado during Yunie’s Pilgrimage.”

“Yeah, and we all know how well that ended,” Gippal agreed.  “The Machine Faction keeps bleeding talent to him, though.  He’s promising instant results.  Not just equality, but superiority.  All the recognition and respect that the Al Bhed never had before.”

“Hey hey.  Enough of this serious talk,” Brother cut in, glancing warily at her.  “This does not have to be your problem, Rikku.  You have done enough for Spira already.  You said you are on vacation, yes?  Another personal mission?  Gippal and I will handle this Berrik.  You… just take your break.”

A sudden fondness flooded Rikku at her brother’s awkward attempts to protect her from the rising storm.

“Thanks.  But I’m not the only one who could use a break,” she noted, seeing the weariness etched onto Gippal’s face.  “Why don’t we get something to eat and catch up?” she said impulsively.  “There’s more to life than Berrik’s scheming.  Let me remind you guys of that!”

This time Brother was smirking.  “What is it?  No, I think I will not be this ‘third wheel.’  Eat your food without me!”

Gippal leaned back and crossed his ankle over his knee, grinning.  “Oh!  So little miss hard-to-get is finally asking me out on a date, huh?  I accept.”

“Hey, waitaminute—!”

“See?  Go on!  Have your date!”  Brother was already making for the exit, but he paused, then turned around and pointed at Rikku.  “You are going somewhere.  When you are done here, I will take you there on the Celsius.  No arguments!”

“You know, I-”

“Rikku!”  He matched her glare for a few moments, before grunting and storming for the doors.

“… Fine.”  Rikku wilted, glaring half-heartedly after her retreating brother.

“You know he’s just worried about you,” Gippal pointed out.

“But I’m fine!” she repeated with more volume.  “We’re both adults now!  It’s not like I need a chaperone!”

“You might.”  Gippal’s unusually somber tone caught her off guard.  “I wish you’d take this more seriously.  He already tried to trap Brother.  If word gets out that you’re traveling the world again on your own, it’s only a matter of time before he makes a move on you.”  His face turned down in distaste at the phrasing.  “Maybe literally.  I wouldn’t put it past him to pull a Seymour on you.  You remember the whole sham marriage with Yuna thing?”

“I don’t even know the guy!” Rikku grumbled.  “You really think he’s dumb enough to try some caveman attempt to hit me over the head and drag me back to his base in Djose?”

“Maybe.  It wouldn’t be the strangest idea he’s had yet,” Gippal admitted.  “But let’s grab some grub first.  I’m starving.”

Rikku followed him to the communal cafeteria, which was crowded with a line of faction members grabbing trays of food from a food counter. She observed Gippal making easy conversation with his subordinates as he waited for his turn.  He’d never insisted on treating anyone differently by rank and station, and that included himself.  That had always been the Al Bhed way, and it was comforting to see him staying true to their roots even as their leader.  The thought of anyone trying to impose an artificial order, a privileged ruling class over her people, filled Rikku with a deep-rooted sense of wrongness.

As her tray was handed back to her, Rikku was pleasantly surprised by the aromatic smell of garlic and cinnamon wafting from the golden-hued plate of rice on her tray. It was topped with hearty chunks of braised meat doused in a creamy spiced yogurt sauce, garnished with fresh green herbs and a smattering of toasted almonds.  A surprisingly crisp salad of lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, and cucumber interspersed with fried bits of flatbread and doused liberally with a tangy lemon dressing accompanied the meal.

“Syhcyv and vydduicr?  I haven’t had this in so long!” she gushed, salivating over the mouthwatering dishes.

Gippal laughed, bumping her towards the exit.  “C’mon.  It’s too crowded in here.  Let’s eat outside.”

They hiked out to the edge of the camp, settling to eat on a pair of desert trawlers overlooking the rolling sands.

“How’d you keep your vegetables so fresh?” she managed to mumble around a mouthful of food, moaning in delight at the explosion of flavors.

Swallowing, Gippal shrugged.  “It’s not just weapons that we’re digging up here.  We discovered ways to transport and keep food cool even without magic.  It’s been great for morale.  We’re even thinking of trying to advertise Al Bhed cuisine and fashion as an export now.  Nobody else in Spira lives the same way we do, after all.”

“Mmph,” Rikku agreed.  They finished their meal in companionable silence, and didn’t move afterwards, both caught in the lethargic stupor of a good meal after a hard day of work.

“I’m glad you came,” Gippal said eventually, not bothering to look at her.  “Nearly missed us, too.  We were just about to leave tomorrow morning.  This way you can hitch a ride on the Celsius with us.”

“Where are you and Brother going?” she asked.  “It’s not like him to take a break from sphere hunting.”

“Yeah, well, we’ve got too much going on right now,” Gippal admitted, a bit of weariness creeping into his voice.  “Berrik isn’t my only problem.  Did Paine tell you about New Yevon reforming?”

Rikku hummed in agreement.  “I heard.  Yunie’s already been contacted by them, you know?  Shelinda wants to teach more people to perform the Sending.  I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… I don’t think that’s a bad thing?”

“Well,” Gippal hedged.  “Maybe not, but I’d still be a lot more comfortable if Baralai was back in on this, keeping her in check.  Shelinda can be a little… intense,” he said with a short laugh.  “I was planning on stopping by Bevelle to parley with them.  Keep the Machine Faction off of their shit list and make sure they knew we weren’t a part of that Restoration craziness.”  He shook his head.  “I fought too hard for this, Rikku.  I don’t want to see us go back to those heretic-hunting days.”

She nodded quietly.  “Well, you know… Shelinda can be an experience, but at least her heart’s in the right place.  Besides, don’t you like intense?” she teased.  “Maybe you could think about pulling a Seymour yourself.  Start dating her, and roll all those New Yevonites into your Machine Faction.  Paine’s Guardians would back you up, and then you could put this Berrik guy in his place.  Together.  You know, the way it should be?”

“Hah!  When’d you get so calculating?”

“Hey, this is pure self-interest speaking.”  Rikku put her palms up, shaking her head.  “I don’t want this Berrik guy coming after me either!”

“You know what the hardest part about all this is?”  Gippal flopped backwards with a sigh, hiking his feet up and staring at the darkened sky.  “That all these problems cropping up now are our fault.  The trouble and fighting isn’t being caused by the Yevonites or the Crusaders or the Youth League. This time it’s on us.  The real enemy’s within ourselves.”

He was being unusually candid with her for once, and Rikku spared a glance at him.  “You scared?”

“Mmm,” he agreed, shutting his good eye.  “This might just be a first for me.  Wondering if I was wrong.  We were wrong.  Spreading machina all over Spira, trying to make ourselves relevant now that Yevon wasn’t breathing down our collars.  Maybe we should’ve slowed down a little.  Not pushed so hard.”  His eye slid open, and for a minute, he looked hollow and tired.  “If it comes down to a fight, it’s gonna be messy, even without Sin.  I’m starting to think Yevon was right.  If you use machina for everything, eventually you’re gonna end up using machina for war.”

She dropped her head onto her knees, silent and unsure of what to say.  Up until Braska’s Pilgrimage, she’d agreed with his old attitude.  She’d even spent her time after the Eternal Calm traveling the world as teacher, showing people everywhere how to restore and use machina.  It was only after seeing the pure, unspoiled landscape of the past that she’d realized just how much the Machine Faction had pushed to industrialize Spira.  And that maybe it wasn’t always a good thing.

Their silent agreement was comfortable, if sobering.  A familiar feeling of warmth spread through her; sitting in the dark next to Gippal was reminding her of her childhood, when things were simpler… and they were actually friends.

So she stiffened instantly when he reached out to grab her hand.  That comfortable atmosphere evaporated, replaced with an unwelcome tension.

“I’ve got more headaches than I have painkillers, Rikku.”  He twined his fingers between hers.  “And I’m wondering if you came here to become one of my painkillers.  What’s the deal with you?  With us?”

It was the right decision to come here, she realized.  Still, it didn’t make what she had to do next any easier.

“I’m a Pollendina, Gip.  The only thing I’d bring you is more headaches.”  Gently, she untangled her fingers from his and drew her hand away.  “I’m sorry.  You’re a great guy, but we work better as friends, don’t you think?  Let’s keep it that way.”

She heard him shift and kept herself from turning to look.  She didn’t want to see his disappointment.  After a minute, he let out a gusty sigh.

“Thanks for being honest.”  He sat up, running a hand through his hair and chuckling.  “That’s the third time you’ve rejected me.  I can take a hint.”  He caught her eye and grinned.  “Hey.  No hard feelings, alright?  We’re still good.”

“Really?” she asked, unable to stop the relief from bubbling up in her voice.  “I’m so glad.  And you know… I do wanna help.  I mean with the Machine Faction.  You guys are my real family.  Like Brother said, Pollendina’s just a name.”

“I wonder,” Gippal replied.  “You say that, but you’ve been different ever since you came back from the Farplane.  It feels like you lost something important to you there and anyone who knows you would have to be blind not to notice.  It’s like somebody snuffed out a flame in you, and you’re just going through the motions with us now.”

Rikku chewed on her lower lip, her fingers playing restlessly with one of the beads in her hair.  “You’re not too far off the mark,” she admitted.  “But I’m working on it, okay?”

She could feel Gippal’s lone eye boring into her cheek.  “Did I mention that we’re testing out some new radar?” he said suddenly.  “We’ve been installing satellite dishes all around the perimeter of the island to track air traffic coming in and out.  Can’t be too cautious, right?  So I’ve been wondering how you got here, since our instruments didn’t pick up anything.”

“Oh.  Well that’s cool.  Good luck working out all the kinks in your new tracking system.”  The silence drew out between them, and she picked at the laces of her boots, stubbornly refusing to elaborate.

“Yeah, well… maybe one day you can tell me all about it,” he said in a noticeably cooler voice.

Wincing, she finally met his gaze.  “Listen, one day I will – but I’m on a mission right now, and if it’s successful, I think you’ll understand.”

“Don’t jeopardize the mission?” Gippal asked dryly.  “And here I thought you said you were on vacation.”  He grinned at the look of chagrin on her face.  “Fine, fine.  I won’t press.  I’m still worried about you, though.  Cid’s not the only one who gets ideas that go outta control.  Last time you became Yuna’s Guardian.”

“I’ll be careful,” she promised.  “You guys need to stop worrying.  It’s not like my vacations end in disaster every single time!” 

“I’d feel better about whatever you were doing if you’d at least ask Paine for a couple of bodyguards.”

“Ugh, no way!  I wonder whether you know what a vacation really is or not.  Maybe you need to take one yourself to find out!” 

“I wish.”  Gippal rolled off of the vehicle and offered her a hand.  “But I can’t take a break.  Not now, not until this mess in Djose is dealt with.”  As he helped her down, his voice turned quiet.  “What’re you really doing, Rikku?  Is it something I can help you with?”

Hopping down, she released him and dusted her skirt off.  “I appreciate it.  But I’m still searching for my happy ending.  And that’s something I have to find on my own.”

“Well, you know where I am if you ever want me to be a part of it,” he joked with a hint of melancholy.  “In the meanwhile, the least I can do is throw Berrik off your scent.  Where’re you heading to?”

They strolled back towards the encampment, and Rikku scanned the area to make sure there weren’t any eavesdroppers.  “I’m going to Macalania,” she admitted under her breath.  “I’ve heard rumors of something going on up there.”

“Figures,” Gippal said.  “That area’s not really any of my business, but I’ve heard stories of funny things happening in the forest there.  People are confused, and there’s rumors that Shelinda’s New Yevon movement might have something to do with it.  If you ask me, that’s why they’re picking up so much steam now.”

“What do you mean?” Rikku frowned, already suspecting the answer.

“What I mean is that they’re taking credit for ‘bringing back the Fayth’.  It seems pretty harmless, since it doesn’t look like Shelinda’s gunning for world control the same way Mika was.  But I’m taking a trip up to Bevelle all the same, just in case.  Gotta make sure this new wave of piety doesn’t sweep up the Al Bhed as a bunch of heretics all over again.”

Rikku put her hand on her chin, frowning.  Jecht, what exactly are you up to now?  “Thanks, Gippal.  I mean it.”

“So… need a ride?  Brother can drop you off, it’s on the way anyhow.”

She’d been planning on sneaking off the island quietly.  Still, looking at Gippal’s hopeful expression, and thinking about Brother’s concern gave her pause.  “Yeah.  You know, I think I’ll take you guys up on that offer.  Thanks,” she said, a genuine smile returning to her face as she felt herself reconnecting with a part of her life that she hadn’t even known she’d missed.

“You got it,” Gippal replied with an easy smile.

It feels good to be an Al Bhed again, she realized.

Chapter Text

Rikku stood on the deck of the Celsius, her eyes glued to the landscape below.  Cool wind whipped past her ears, but even so, it wasn’t nearly as chilly as she remembered in the past.  The years hadn’t been kind to Lake Macalania; since Shiva’s disappearance, all of the unnatural snow had melted away, leaving behind only a rocky, bleached canyon.  Here and there bits of moss and small shrubbery struggled to survive on the wind-swept cliffs, but overall the landscape was devastatingly barren.  The lakebed itself had long since receded and the freshwater within the chasm was pale blue glacial melt, murky and full of silt.

“The magic’s gone,” she sighed.

“Maybe,” Gippal replied from where he was seated cross-legged, sharing the view.  “But I like to think of it as a different kind of magic.  The land’s coming back to itself.  Remembering what it used to be.  Nature’s finally breaking itself out from under the thumb of Yevon.”  His lips twisted into a wry grin.  “Kinda like us Al Bhed, huh?”

“I guess,” Rikku hedged.  The lonely canyon might have originally been part of Spira’s actual geography, but it still felt wrong to see it in place of Shiva’s icy glaciers.  Though they hadn’t exactly been friends, she felt a strange connection to the woman who’d once been known as the Goddess of Ice, and a mild sense of desolation at her noticeable absence from Lake Macalania.  Despite her haughty attitude, Shiva had helped Rikku until the very end, giving her the strength to protect Auron and watch over him until his inevitable death.  “Sometimes, though, I think… maybe not everything Yevon created was bad.”

“Whoa there.  Getting a little radical are we?” Gippal scoffed as the airship lost altitude.  “You can think what you like, but me?  I figure change is a good thing.  Better that we all go through a few growing pains than stay frozen forever.”

Rikku hid her crooked smile.  “Well, I guess you’re not wrong either.”  They passed over the sunken temple and settled near the cliff at the far edge of Macalania forest.

“Focus!” she told herself, slapping her cheeks.  The tattered flags of Rin’s abandoned trading post, somehow still standing, marked the beginning of the road leading inwards to the woods.  Rikku prepared to disembark.  “Why’re you dropping me off here, anyway?” she asked as secured her pouches and adjusted her grip on her weapon. “I was planning on going into the forest, not hanging out around this lake.”

“Well, almost nobody visits Lake Macalania these days.”  Gippal stood.  “There’s nothing here but seagulls.  Which means you won’t have an audience.”

“I hear a ‘but’ in there.” Rikku spared him a glance.

He shrugged.  “Like you said… weird stuff’s been happening in the forest.  Nobody knows what’s going on or what it’s gonna look like today.  Brother would have had a harder time trying to land in there anyhow, so you’ll have to hoof it from here on out.  And there’s gonna be a lot of people hanging around the other exits, trying to figure out what’s up.  Coming in is easy.  Getting out unnoticed is the trick.”

The speakers crackled, and they both looked up as the sound of Brother’s voice blared out over the intercom. 

“Are you SURE you do not want to stay with us?  The Gullwings are still accepting applications!”

“Applications?”  Rikku’s eye twitched.  “Why would I have to apply?  I thought I was one of the founding members!”

“Ah-HAH!  So that is a yes the-?!” 

There was another loud crackle, and then Buddy’s voice rang out instead.

“Take care, Rikku.  You better get off the ship before Brother gets out of this headlock.”

Gippal laughed at her expression.  “C’mere,” he told her, reaching out and giving her a hug.  “Do me a favor and keep me up-to-date on this mission of yours.  For my peace of mind this time, yeah?”

Squeezing him back, she nodded.  “You betcha.”  She stepped back and gave him a thumbs-up.  “Stay strong!  Even if you can’t win Shelinda over as a friend, she doesn’t have to be your enemy.  And be careful about Berrik.  I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I should be saying that to you.  Now go on,” he said, delivering a mild kick to her backside that sent her flying off the edge of the ship.

“HEEEY!”  She managed to flail and right herself before she could faceplant into the ground, then turned around and waved.  “I’ll get you for that!”

The Celsius was already pulling away; she could see Gippal leaning over the edge on one knee, smirking.  “Looking forward to it,” he yelled down at her.  She watched the ship rise higher into the sky.  It turned and disappeared, leaving behind ephemeral sparks as Brother gunned the engines.

Sighing, Rikku glanced at the decrepit trading post.  She froze, imagining Auron in the spot where she’d laid him to rest so many years ago.  Then she shook her head and turned away.  Nothing was the same as back then; no cold, no snow, and most of all… no Auron.

For a moment a swell of loneliness overtook her.  What if Jecht wasn’t here?  What if he was, but he couldn’t help her find a way to be with Auron?  She swayed on her feet.  What if she was nothing more than the sum of her regrets, destined to exist just as Gippal had unwittingly suggested, an aeon stagnating in time forever?

A hint of a cool breeze blew past her, waking her from her musing, and she shook off her despondent lethargy.  Nothing was exactly what would happen if she remained frozen on the shards of her regrets.  Succumbing to that way of thinking would be no better than spending another five years in Besaid, hiding from reality.  Taking a deep breath, she lifted her foot and took a step forward.

The path towards Macalania Forest was strewn with tiny rocks and the petrified remains of a few sparse branches and tree trunks.  Very quickly, though, Rikku began to see signs of life.  First grass and then a few larger shrubs.  They were soon followed by saplings that quickly grew in size to full-blown trees.  The forest was indeed recovering and spreading rapidly; still, the further in she wandered, the more she noticed the real problem: the trees were ordinary.  There was no trace of Shiva’s magical forest to be found in the newer sprouts; rather than crystalline plants, the weeds growing between them were of the mundane variety.  Most damningly, there wasn’t a single trace of memory water to be found, either above or below the surface of the budding flora.

She pressed on; the forest thickened around her.  There had to be a reason for the rumors flying about; Braska had told her he’d sensed Jecht here, and she was determined to find him.  The air around her was cooling noticeably, though it was just as likely due to the dense canopy overhead rather than any sort of magic.  There was still no hint of the starlight, the frozen crystals, or the memory water that made Macalania special.  In fact, the only unusual thing about the forest was the lack of people moving through it.

Stopping, Rikku frowned.  “Wait… why aren’t there any people here?”  Suspicious, she glanced around the forest and then closed her eyes.  “Maybe looking is the wrong way to go about this.”  Extending her senses, she felt for magic in the same way she’d sensed Isaaru’s ward in Zanarkand.  Her spine tingled and her nerves buzzed; after some time, she managed to detect faint traces of something in the air that resonated within her.  She turned slowly, stopping when the sensations intensified.  Popping her eyes open, she peered through the darkened tree trunks for something, anything that was out of the ordinary.  In the distance, a flash of blue caught her attention.  A butterfly.

She gave chase.  The butterfly twisted in and out of the speckled light, drawing her further away from the beaten path.  Crashing through bushes and picking her way over twisted roots, she kept her focus fixed on it so intently that she didn’t even notice the stone that tripped her until it was too late.  She landed hard on all fours, wincing.  “Owwie…”  Rolling over, she glared at the offending rock… and gaped.

“That’s no rock,” Rikku breathed, the ache in her knees forgotten as she scrambled closer.  Jutting out of the ground was a spiked, diaphanous crystal formation.  Inside of it, weak light pulsed.  Memory water.  “How’d you get there?” 

Dropping her head close to the ground, Rikku pressed her ear against the crystal and held her breath.  From within she heard the familiar crystalline hum of magic.  “It’s here.”  She latched onto the sound, attuning to it, feeling it run through her entire body.  Scrambling upright, she let her feet lead her towards the magic.  The trees seemed to twist and bend to accommodate her; now that she could hear the song of the forest, it was as if a veil was being lifted.  She picked out a path along a particularly wide branch that took her up towards the canopy.  As she climbed higher, she noticed round, glowing growths on the tree trunks here and there.  They shed soft, ethereal light over her path.  Though they weren’t as large as they’d been in the past, it was clearly a sign that the magic of the forest was returning.  The ringing of the trees intensified.

At the top of the branch, a whirlwind of blue butterflies were spinning in place before an unusually large crystal formation.  The magic sparked like electricity through her veins, and Rikku shivered. 

“This… it’s an Oracle,” she realized, approaching the enormous glowing bulb cautiously.  She heard no voices and suffered no visions, but when she placed her hand against the cool, glassy surface, the water surged and pulsed under her palm.  It was still growing, she realized with surprise.  Relatively newly formed and yet incomplete.

The butterflies swirled and danced around her in coordinated agitation, so she pulled away to watch them.  After a few more twists, they turned into strands of light, eventually coalescing into a familiar form, albeit slightly translucent.

“Pukutak?”

The mouse spirit swayed from side to side, happy to see her.   “Oh me, oh my, our Eden has returned!” she gushed, clapping her tiny paws together.  “Did you find that love for which you so yearned?”

Rikku let out a soft laugh.  “Umm, yeah, sorta.  But… it didn’t last.”

Pukutak nodded knowingly.  “Most things don’t, in this world of mortals. You were fortunate to have traveled through time’s portal!  It granted you a chance that many do not have.”  The mouse’s ears dipped as she regarded Rikku curiously, her eyes dark and black.  “So I don’t understand why you are so sad.”

“Well excuse me for being miserable!  It’s not like I can help it!” Rikku snapped, before reigning in her temper.  After all, up until she’d spotted the butterfly she’d believed all of the forest spirits to be dead, vanished alongside their crystal forest.  “Umm, sorry.  It’s still a sensitive topic for me right now.”

Fortunately, the mouse-spirit hardly seemed offended by her outburst.  Instead, Pukutak continued swaying from side to side, dancing to a tune that only she could hear.  “No, I see now.  You came to seek satisfaction. And the forest’s new master is a man of action!”

Jecht.  “Where is he?” Excitement kindled in Rikku’s breast.  “Where can I find him?”

Pukutak spun on her heel and blew a soft note through her horn.  “Your soul-brother waits in the depths of the pool where tears were shed over fate most cruel.”  Twirling, she tooted a lively melody on the horn, fading away.  “Hurry and go, your feet wish to fly.  You will never know unless you try!”

As much as she wanted to take Pukutak’s advice, Rikku picked her way back down to the forest floor slowly and carefully.  The spirits always spoke in rhyming riddles, and she had no idea what the mouse had meant.  “A pool of tears?”  She hummed, thinking back over Yuna’s pilgrimage.  There had been that one time that Tidus took Yuna on a date in the forest.  Yuna confessed afterwards that it had been ‘the best kiss of my life, but also the worst.’ 

Rikku grinned, thinking of how Auron had prevented Wakka from chasing after them.  Though, if she had to be honest, the only reason she really remembered that moment so clearly was because of how spectacularly she’d failed in her attempt to filch Auron’s heavy sword while he wasn’t looking.  She’d overestimated her own strength, and he ended up having to pluck both it and her off of the ground, much to her embarrassment.

“Well… if Pukutak mentioned it, then that clearing must still exist,” she mumbled, letting out a sigh of relief when her feet hit solid ground.  It took some work to push her way through the underbrush; the old paths that had once existed were no longer there.  And strangely enough the woods were still devoid of tourists, which was inconceivable considering how obviously magical the place had become once again.

“The Church really could have a revival if people knew this was happening.”  She frowned, wondering just how prying eyes were being kept out.  A summoner would have the power to erect a barrier, but not over the entirety of the forest; it was just too big.

Following the tug of the magic helped Rikku orient herself much more than her eyes; she was sure she would’ve been hopelessly lost otherwise. Eventually the forest floor flattened out into an open, empty clearing.  The tree in the middle of the watery glade was familiar; its bark still pulsed with the magic of the lake it grew out of.  The thrum of power was strongest here; she knew this had to be it.

“Huh.”  Rikku frowned.  There was no sign of Jecht, so she waded into the pool.  It was crystal clear and she could see its magic in plain sight now; drifts of stars mixing in with the alluring promise of visions of the past.  Here and there butterflies flitted about; members of the spirit race, their bodies still reforming just as the Oracle was.  They must have been growing in number and strength, just as the crystalline trees were.  “Where are you?” Rikku murmured, circling around the trunk.  Finally, she took a deep breath and looked down.

The water of the pool was deceptively shallow.  She knew, though, that diving in would take her far below the surface.  And if the water really was active again, then she might not resurface if she couldn’t hold on to her sense of self and keep her memories from pulling her under.

“Well… it’s not like I can really drown, right?” she mumbled.  Still, she made sure the breath she took was steady and deep before she tipped headfirst into the lake.

The water welcomed her with a musical sigh, its cool embrace drawing her into the starry depths.  As she dove, feelings of nostalgia rose up to meet her, urging her to push deeper.  She saw a flash of red and swam towards it.  Of course it was Auron, young as he was during Braska’s pilgrimage and desperately in love with her.  He reached out towards her, a look of yearning on his unscarred face.

“Don’t leave me,” he whispered as she fell into his embrace.

Not this time, Rikku thought, grabbing onto him and leaning in to meet him, her eyes clouded with emotion.  Finally.  I missed you so much…  His arms closed around her and she buried her face into his neck, exhaling with relief.  As she did, she heard Pukutak’s musical lilt echo in her ears.

“…where tears were shed over fate most cruel...”

This isn’t real, she realized.  The phantom Auron squeezed her even tighter, as if he knew she was going to leave him again.  Ruefully she extracted herself from his grasp, grimacing as his image flickered and dissolved.  For a moment she could only tread the water, trying to stay her grief and recompose herself in the present.

Somewhere below in the wake of the illusion, a soft light pulsed.  She struggled towards it.  Although she was unaware of how much time she’d spent embracing the phantom Auron in the depths, she was familiar with the tell-tale weight of suffocation in her chest. 

A melody caught her attention, carrying through the water.  She slowed as she heard it, stringing together the notes that grew clearer with each pass.  It was the Hymn, crude but unmistakable. 

Something in her reacted; her heart fluttered and her chest opened, spilling out a wave of unexpected wistfulness.  Feelings of comfort and belonging enveloped her.  It was safe and warm; it was everything she wanted.  The Hymn dulled the pain of her memories, her losses; she felt like she might burst from joy.  The tears that fell from her eyes were no longer of longing and regret.  They flowed freely, mixing into the water; the song was overwhelming her.  The words were familiar; the melody was home.

Ie-yui…  The sound of Jecht’s voice surrounded her, a rich baritone, slightly off-key.  She surged forward, her arms outstretched.

No-bo-me-no, he rumbled.

Her hands found the glowing runes at the edge of the stone.  She looked up at the sculpture; a familiar tanned back, crisscrossed with battle scars.  He wore overlapping scales across his shoulder like a one-winged cape, his sword tightly gripped in the opposite hand.

She parted her lips. “Ren-” she tried to sing, but her mouth filled with water.

Ren-mi-ri, he answered.

Choking, she stopped trying to join the Hymn with her throat.  Her breath, already short, stagnated in her chest and she hugged the stone, her lungs burning.  Yo-ju-yo-go, she cried out, driven enough to hear the sound of her soul echoing, refracted through the water into wordless chimes.  The stone pulsed underneath her fingertips.  Her vision was going blurry, but she couldn’t bring herself to let go.

Ha-sa te-ka na-e, he sang, and her voice joined his.

Ku-ta-ma-e!

Blackness overtook her; her entire chest was painfully tight from lack of air.  Faintly, she felt a pair of arms encircle her and yank her upwards.  She would have wheezed, but there was nothing left in her throat.  Instead, when she broke the surface, she sputtered and hacked, spitting out water so that her lungs could suck in fresh air greedily.

When she stopped shuddering and convulsing, she scrubbed the tears from her cheeks and looked up to see a set of bare toes.  Her eyes shot up, and despite feeling like a drowned rat, she couldn’t help the smile that broke out over her face.

“Jecht!”

He squatted from his perch on the water, looking down at her with surprise.  Uncrossing his arms, he offered her his hand.  “Blondie!  You woke me up,” he rumbled, his voice thick from disuse.  “Welcome to Macalania!  You look older.  I like it!”

He was stronger than ever; she practically shot out of the water when he pulled on her arm, her feet dangling before landing on its surface as though it were as solid as the ground of the forest behind her.  “How…” she coughed, still feeling out of sorts.  Despite the discomfort, she didn’t mind when he crushed her to him in a bear hug that made her yelp in surprise.

“Wow, you really been hangin’ out with humans for way too long,” Jecht observed, giving her a few heavy pats on the back to clear the rest of the water out of her lungs.  “You know you don’t need ta breathe or walk, right?  These bodies of ours can do whatever we want ‘em to.”  He barked out a laugh.  “You!  Drownin’?  Hah, you’re makin’ my day here Rikku.”

Rikku gave up on wringing out the water from her hair and glared at Jecht.  “Look, Tidus never told me about any of that!  He doesn’t go around Besaid walking on water or flying—wait a sec.  Ok, bad example,” she backtracked.

“Well at least think yourself dry, ya look awful,” Jecht said, though he did lead her back towards the bank of the pool.  “You’re gonna make me feel guilty for puttin’ my body at the bottom of the lake.”

“Is that how you got here?  You… brought yourself?” Rikku asked, falling to the ground in an exhausted slump, her heart still pounding from nearly losing consciousness.  Her clothes squelched uncomfortably, drenched in water that felt a lot less magical now that she was back on land.  She didn’t bother trying to dry herself, sulking from his good-natured teasing.

Jecht settled next to her, humoring her refusal to act like a disembodied spirit.  “Yep,” he answered, crossing his legs before him.  “Woke up in Zanarkand in that creepy snake lady’s hallway o’ horrors.  So I decided, screw that.  Picked my own body up an’ left.”

Rikku’s eye twitched.  “But how’d you – the runes – wouldn’t you have – ?”

“Blondie, I got a flyin’ sword an’ all the time in the world.  It wasn’t that hard, really.  Speakin’ of which, if you ever wanna get yourself outta the Farplane, I’d be happy to help,” he offered.

“And go where?”  Rikku paused, then grabbed her head.  “Ugh!  No!  This is not what I came here to talk about!  Jecht!”

He laughed at her, a deep, belly laugh, and then leaned into her side.  “Aww, I missed this.  It’s great seein’ you again, Blondie.”

“Me too,” she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.  “Why didn’t you tell anyone where you went?  You haven’t even seen Tidus once yet since you came back.”

Jecht harrumphed.  “He’s livin’ his best life with Yuna out there in Besaid.  I… I don’t got the right to mess that up.  If I show up, Yuna’s gonna know.  What I am.  What he is.  Maybe even what you are.  I can’t do that to my boy,” he grumbled, looking at the ground.  There was a moment of suspicious silence, punctuated by a sniffle.

“You can cry if you want, you know.  The forest spirits call this place the pool of tears,” she pointed out.

“I ain’t cryin’!” Jecht shouted, pushing her off.  “You just splashed some water in my eye, is all,” he finished sullenly, glaring intently at the canopy above.

“Come on.  I don’t believe you.  If you’re so great at separating your body from your consciousness, you could’ve come to Besaid looking like somebody totally different and at least said hello.”

Jecht rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.  “Yeah, I guess,” he hedged.

She stared, narrowing her eyes.  “What’s eating you?  Spill it.”

Grunting, he dropped his hand with a guilty look.  “Look.  I don’t think you can understand, but, uh, it ain’t so easy for me to act like a human anymore.  Not the way you an’ Tidus do.  I spent a long time as Sin.  You weren’t there for it, Blondie.”  He looked away from her; his physical appearance was frozen in time from the moment he’d been transformed into a Final Aeon.  He looked like a man only a couple of years older than her, in fact.  His eyes, though, revealed some of his true age; of the decades that had passed for him since then.  “It changes you.”

Reaching out, Rikku gave his bicep a squeeze.  “You feel guilty, you mean?  Because of what you did while you were Sin?”

He shrugged slightly, not meeting her eyes.  “I got a lot to make up for,” he mumbled.  “And, well,” he added, reddening slightly.  “Maybe I was a lil’ intimidated.  I ain’t the world’s best dad by a long shot.”

She smiled; the younger Jecht she’d befriended would have rather eaten a blitzball than admit that he was afraid of anything.  “You loved Tidus, and you tried your best,” she tried to comfort him.

He shook his head and laughed.  “Sometimes your best ain’t good enough.  Anyway, even if I was chocobo shit for runnin’ away from him, it’s not in my hands anymore.”  He gestured at the sparkling forest around them.  “I saw how this place was disappearin’ an’ I had to do somethin’ about it.  What was goin’ on here, it reminded me a lil’ too much o’ Dream Zanarkand.  I didn’t want anythin’ else to be forgotten.”

He stretched out his hand and a butterfly fluttered down, landing on his fingertip.  “It was almost too late for these guys, see?  Most o’ the crystal forest was gone, and so were their bodies.  I been workin’ to bring the magic back since I came here, and they’re finally startin’ to recover.”  He shook the butterfly off, then let out a heavy sigh.  “But doin’ this ain’t easy, Rikku.  I sleep a lot, tryin’ to hold things together with my dreams.”

Rikku took another, closer look around the forest.  “I mean, I’m impressed,” she said after a few moments, awed by the realization that everything she was seeing was being sustained by him.  I could have been helping, she realized with a pang.  He’s not even that great at magic.  “How did you manage to grow this forest?  You’re not like Shiva.  She was the God of Ice.”

Jecht puffed up noticeably.  “Well… I figure I must be a god of somethin’ too,” he said proudly.  “An’ I’ve always been good at strategizin’.  This is just another battle, right?  Fightin’ to save the forest.”  His grin turned smug.  “’Sides, I already got an idea ‘bout how to set things right.  If it all works out, I’ll be able to leave this place one day without it crashin’ around my head when I go.”  He crossed his arms, a glint of fierceness entering them.  “I ain’t ever gonna be like Yu Yevon.”

“So what’s your plan?” she asked, curious.  “’Cause it sure sounds like you got one.  And how are you keeping the humans out of your forest, anyway?”

“Oh, that?  Well, there been less people comin’ here ever since some summoner fella got this forest pegged as a Spiran cultural heritage site,” Jecht said offhandedly.  “But as for the rest, I just try to hide it by divertin’ people’s attention.  Make it seem like there’s more trees than there are, or less.  Y’know, kinda like an illusion.  It’s way too soon for the spirits to let people go stompin’ through here.  But I mess up sometimes.”  He winced and rubbed at his forehead.  “The whole damn place is getting’ too big for me to handle.  Least no one’s noticed anything yet. ”

Rikku sighed.  “Yeah, about that…”

Jecht froze.  “I messed up?”

She nodded with a sympathetic smile.  “You messed up.  I heard your work’s being wrapped up into a New Yevon revival movement.  I think they’re saying they brought Shiva back.”

“For real?  Well, shit.”

He looked so dejected at the news that she backpedaled.  “I dunno!  It’s all just rumors I heard from other people!  I don’t really get out that much either,” she admitted.  “I could be wrong!”

That caused Jecht’s face to fall.  “Oh, man.  An’ here I thought you were better at this whole bein’ human thing than I was.”  He threw his arm over her shoulder and let her lean in again.  “Still missin’ the stiff, huh?”

“Trying to bring him back, actually.  I was hoping you’d have some advice for me, but it sounds like you have your own problems here.”

Jecht fell silent for a while, his brows drawn in thought.  “Y’know, seems to me like the first thing you should do is ask Auron if he wants to come back.  Everythin’ else is just pissin’ in the wind.”

Rikku wrinkled her nose.  “There you go, being all reasonable again,” she complained.  “Just hear me out, alright?  What if he did want to come back?  What do you think we could do?”

“I mean, if I could I’d have asked Braska.  He’s the one who knew everythin’ there was to know ‘bout magic.”

Rikku felt a hot blush stealing over her face and couldn’t meet Jecht’s eyes.   She mumbled quietly under her breath.

Jecht’s eyebrows shot up.  “… Whaddaya mean, you already asked him?  I can read lips, y’know!”  He peered at her, then whistled lowly as her cheeks continued to darken.  “Hooooh boy.  You did more than just ask, didn’tcha,” he observed through his obvious disbelief.  “How the hell did ya manage to get Braska to show up anyhow?  I thought he was gone.”

Rikku waved her hands until the furnace that was her face cooled down a bit.  “I went to Zanarkand, okay?  There were enough pyreflies there to let his consciousness take a physical form inside the dome.  It’s, uh, it’s not the first time I’ve done something like that, but he wasn’t… complete.”

Jecht’s incredulity was morphing into humor.  “Sounds like he was complete enough, though.  So lemmie get this straight.  You managed to bring Braska back after all this time, an’ the first thing you two did was play hide the sausage?  Are you for real?”

Rikku started hitting his shoulder in earnest, her cheeks flaming.  “He was horny!  And so was I, okay?  It just happened, so shut up already!” she yelled, her voice so high it nearly broke.

Snorting out his laughter, Jecht held up a hand and shook his head.  “Look, if Auron wasn’t straighter than the Mi’ihen Highroad, I swear Braska would’ve had you guys in a three bean salad faster than he could get your skirt off.”  He let out another guffaw.  “Which was pretty damn fast, apparently.”

“Alright, you made your point,” Rikku groused, cupping her hands to her cheeks to hide them.  “But mine is that Braska didn’t know what to do, either.  So I’m kinda stuck here.”

Jecht sighed and rubbed a hand over his head.  “Okay, look.  The first thing you gotta do is ask Auron what he wants.  I know he’s waitin’ for ya on the Farplane, but that’s just ‘cause he wanted to make sure you got over him.  Which ya haven’t.  I don’t think the man’s gonna be happy with you, Blondie.” 

“I know,” Rikku grumbled, giving her cheeks another pat.  “I’m just making a big mess all over again, aren’t I?”

“’ey.  Life is messy,” Jecht told her.  “But ya never know how things are gonna work out.  I mean, you an’ I are still here, right?  An’ I guess Braska is, too?” he added less certainly.  “Maybe Auron will change his mind an’ wanna have another shot at life with the rest o’ us.  Either way, you got what I think ‘bout it.”

Rikku hung her head.  “Yeah… I guess I should’ve gone there to see him first, huh?”

“Don’t be such a downer.  We ain’t exactly in a hurry, right?  Besides,” he said, leaning in with a crafty smirk.  “I got an idea that might help ya convince him to come out an’ try livin’ again.  Ask Auron to help you find somethin’ for me.”

“Find something?  What something?”

“A special somethin’,” Jecht said, looking cocky.  “I’d go get it myself, but I can’t leave the forest.  So that’s where you and Auron come in.  I need you guys to go to Kilika and find me a sidekick.”

“A sidekick.”  Rikku waited.  Jecht continued to smile smugly rather than elaborate.  Finally, she groaned and threw up her hands.  “Well?!”

He stood up and started pacing.  “So I been thinkin’... you remember Yojimbo, right?  He had that dog, what’s-his-name…”

“Koimanu?”

Jecht pointed at her.  “Yeah!  That one!”  He spun and continued his restless pacing.  “So anyway, I was thinkin’ ‘bout us, y’know.  ‘Bout aeons an’ stuff.  Yevon an’ Yunalesca were all happy makin’ em out o’ people way back when, but what if they weren’t the first?  I mean we met Lenne, yeah?  Not all them ancient summoners were bad people.”

“Riiiight,” Rikku nodded.  “But what’s that got to do with finding you a sidekick?”

“Well, I figure the good ones musta tried makin’ summons outta other stuff before jumpin’ right into the human sacrifice.  They can’t have gotten it too wrong, ‘cause someone managed to make this Koimanu thing.  I got to thinkin’, there must be others out there.  Failed experiments.”

“Huh.”  She’d initially thought Jecht was spouting another one of his bad ideas, but what he was saying was kind of making sense.  And also filling her with a growing feeling of excitement.  “You’re talking about lost Fayth.  You mean there might be more of us!”

“Uh-huh.”  Jecht stopped pacing and crossed his arms.

“So you think there might still be some other Fayth out there that aren’t human?  Sorta like beta aeons?  First run experiments?”

His arrogant smirk returned full-force.  “I don’t think.  I know.  I found one, Rikku.”

“What?!  How?!” she shrieked, jumping to her feet.  “They’re in Kilika?”

“Yep.  I can’t leave the forest myself, but I been workin’ on bringin’ the spirits back.  An’ since they’re thankful, they’ve been helpin’ me out with the search.”  He gestured at the butterflies that were circling around him.  “They told me I can find my own version o’ this Koimanu in Kilika.”  He stared at her for a moment, his eyes getting bigger and rounder.

“Ok, what’re you doing now?” Rikku asked, taking a step back from him as he leaned in.  “It’s creeping me out!”

“You gotta do this for me, Blondie!”  His hands came up clasped under his chin and his voice turned into a petulant whine.  “I always wanted a dog!”

She couldn’t help it; he looked so ridiculous that she burst out into peals of laughter.  After a moment, he joined her.  It took them some moments to recover; she did first, wiping the tears from her eyes.  “This pool is earning its name today,” she wheezed.  “All right.  You know what?  If chasing after aeon puppies convinces Auron to leave the Farplane, then I’ll do it.”

Jecht nodded wisely.  “Kids and puppies are humans’ greatest weaknesses.  An’ we already know Auron’s got a soft spot for kids.”

Sighing, Rikku nodded and held up her hand.  “It’s a deal,” she said.

“Yeah!” Jecht crowed, returning her high-five.

Chapter Text

Five years hadn’t been enough to scrub the evidence of the Leblanc Syndicate’s chokehold on Guadosalam, but at least the atmospheric underground settlement was no longer as aggressively tourist-driven as it had been before.

“Probably because of Isaaru and his cultural heritage site movement again,” Rikku mumbled, still a little uncomfortable with the idea of actually affording the former summoner something like her respect.  She was unable to stop a grin from forming when she spotted a teenaged Guado girl sporting the latest Lucan fashion sprint past her on the streets below.  Much like the Ronso, there weren’t all that many Guado left in the world; the scars of Seymour’s last war still ran deep throughout all of Spira.  But the world had healed over enough for the few that remained to slowly return to their forest homeland, once again becoming the caretakers of the Farplane.

On the bright side, the residents were no longer as conceitedly xenophobic as they’d been in the past.  Less optimistically, the results of LeBlanc’s commercialization remained everywhere, from the loud pink signposts and trinket boutiques on every street corner to the luxury chain hotel still running out of Seymour’s former residence.  Even if the gnarled, ancient tree roots and strange, symbiotic architecture remained, there was no denying it – the Eternal Calm had changed the face of Guadosalam permanently.

As she walked the streets, swaying with her arms behind her back, she was glad she’d taken Jecht’s advice and changed her appearance.  Short chestnut hair reminiscent of Yuna’s framed her face and her eyes were a completely unremarkable shade of brown.  She’d managed to leave Macalania and arrive in Guadosalam mostly unnoticed.  It felt strange, though, walking through her life in a body that wasn’t exactly her own.  Without her long blonde hair with its beaded braids clacking around her she felt strangely exposed and alien, even more out of place than when she transformed into Eden.

It was that discomfort which spurred her to hurry towards the Gate, hoping to return to her own appearance as quickly as possible.  The traffic in the city was thin; she’d purposefully chosen the early hours of the morning to avoid the crowds while making her visit.  Still, as she entered the winding tunnel leading to the portal, she slowed at the sight of a familiar figure waiting near the entrance.

“Maechen?”

“Hmm?  Oh my, hello there, young lady,” he greeted, adjusting his glasses.  “You seem so familiar… have I perchance made your acquaintance?”

“Oh!  Well, umm… can you keep a secret?”

Maechen stroked his beard.  “I’m afraid not if it pertains to history, my dear.  But if it concerns other matters, mum’s the word.”

Rikku drew close, letting her eyes return to their natural swirled green.  “Well, I’m not planning on changing history or even making it anymore, so we’re good, right?  It’s me, Rikku.  How’ve you been?”

“Lady Rikku Pollendina!  Why now, there’s quite the furor going on about your family, isn’t there?” Maechen said in surprise.  He gestured at her hair.  “I can see why you might well choose discretion.  And yes, I do indeed remember you.  We met on Lord Braska’s pilgrimage, did we not?”  His rheumy pale blue eyes grew distant.  “Or was it Lady Yuna’s?  I can’t seem to recall anymore,” he muttered.

“Does it really matter?  I’m here right now.”  She grinned, delighted by her luck.  “In fact, you’re just the person I wanted to see.  You’ve been alive for a while, right?” she asked cautiously, not sure of the state of his memory.

“Hmm,” Maechen replied noncommittally.  “That is one fairly inaccurate way to phrase it, yes.  But I much prefer to speak of history rather than myself, as you well know.  Would you like to hear a story?”

Danger!  Rikku brought up her hands to wave him down before he could launch into one.  “In a way, yeah.  I wanted to know if you ever heard about any Fayth that managed to make themselves human again.”

“Oh-ho!  Now that is an interesting question!  And one I believe I’ve never been asked before,” he said, closing his eyes and thinking.  “I’m afraid I must disappoint you though, my dear.  To become a Fayth is something akin to death itself, you see.  A summoner must sacrifice that individual’s life, freezing the soul in the moment of its transition, and bind it to a sacred stone.  This is why breaking the Fayth stone destroys a Fayth, you see.  The trapped soul is then released from its prison and can once again rejoin the flow of time.  Which of course would result in a true human death for that soul.”  He looked thoughtful.  “I suppose that does mean that a Fayth which has been utterly destroyed will have a brief moment of being human once more.  But such a moment is fleetingly transient.” 

She couldn’t help it; her legs gave out from under her and she sat down, hard.  Back then, Yunalesca had forced Braska to kill Jecht? 

“I don’t have fond memories of this chamber.”

She dropped her head into her hands.  “What an understatement, Braska,” she muttered, feeling sick.

“Oh my!  I’m so sorry Lady Rikku, I had idea this information would upset you so much.”  Maechen leaned over to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.  He paused then tapped her shoulder again, this time more experimentally.  “Oh, I… see.”

“Yeah, well…”  She raised her head and took in a deep, cleansing breath.  “Maybe let’s keep that info to ourselves in the future, right?  I don’t think it’d be a good idea to reintroduce that kind of knowledge to Spira.”

“You do make a compelling point,” Maechen said, stepping back and patting his beard thoughtfully.  “I will try to remember it in the future, though I admit... at my age, it’s difficult to make such promises, let alone abide by them.”

“Well, how about a different question then.  About… Unsent,” she said, letting the question hang between them.

“Hmm.”  Maechen looked at her shrewdly.  “Yes.  What is it about us that you’d like to know?”

“How do you manage to stay like that?”  She gestured at Maechen abstractly.  “You know… not all fiendy.  What keeps you sane?”

Maechen sighed, then took off his glasses and began to wipe them absently.  “To be honest, I do not actually know.  My circumstances are rather special, you see.  For I did not remember what I was for most of these past thousand years.”  He replaced his spectacles and cleared his throat.  “There is no reason to be envious of the living if you believe yourself to be one of them.”

“So you think you might end up like the others now that you know?” she asked, a tiny spark of worry igniting within her.

“Oh, nothing so dramatic,” Maechen chuckled.  “I’m not nearly passionate enough about life to fall prey to malice.  What really gets my crockpot cooking, if you will, is the preservation of history.  It is my calling, and my duty.  All else… is irrelevant,” he mused.  “I suppose one day, I will once again forget what I am, and thus, avoid the danger of losing myself to the desire to be human.  After all, history is a living creature, and it takes quite the effort to commit it all to memory.”  He thought about it for a moment, and then nodded at her.  “Yes, I believe that is it.  An Unsent can resist the call of malice and retain their humanity so long as they have something which they believe in.  A destiny greater than their own personal concerns.”

Rikku’s face fell.  Auron had remained himself for so long because he had just such a mission:  to destroy Sin and the corrupt Church of Yevon in the process.  Now that his goals had been accomplished, what was to keep him from descending into a fiend?  Trema had been just as strong-willed as Auron, but after Sin was defeated, he’d lost his purpose.  Belgemine, as well… though at least the woman had allowed Yuna to send her before she could become the unholy terror that Trema had transformed into.

Sighing, she scrubbed her hair irritably.  Maechen was the oldest Unsent she’d ever met, apart from Shuyin and Lenne.  And both Shuyin and Lenne had been… well, not exactly stable.  If even Maechen couldn’t give her a good answer, how in the world was she supposed to help Auron?

“Oh, it seems I’ve disappointed you again.  I do apologize.  But is there anything else you wish to ask me?  Something I can assist you with, perhaps?”

“Yeah,” Rikku sighed.  “Three’s a charm, right?  Do you know anything about Fayth that, um… well, that weren’t made from human souls?”

Maechen scratched his head.  “Was there something like that…?”  After a moment, he brightened.  “Oh!  Yes, yes of course!  It was so long ago, you see, I nearly forgot.  Yes, such creatures indeed once existed.”

Rikku sprung to her feet, thrumming with excitement.  “So they are real!  Why did the summoners resort to making aeons out of people then?”

“Oh, we didn’t call them aeons,” Maechen told her, shaking his head.  “They were far too weak for that.  Eidolons, they were named.  Creatures that formed the basis for the Fayth we know of today.  The research was abandoned because most of them were too difficult to control.  Hardly any eidolons created were capable of offensive magic.”  He chuckled softly.  “The penchant for violence remains a uniquely human condition.”

“So what happened to them all?”

“A sad story, that.  Most of them were destroyed in the great Machina war, used as shields for the populace against the relentless Bedohl army.  I would be quite surprised if any survived into our modern era.”

“Huh.”  She swayed back and forth on her feet, eager to learn more.  “Let’s say one of them had.  What would I be looking for, exactly?  The same type of Fayth stone an aeon has?”

“Oh, no no, nothing of the sort.  An Eidolon stone is much smaller than a Fayth stone.  About the size of a very large rock, or perhaps a gem,” he explained, holding up his palms to demonstrate.

“Yes!”  She danced in place for a moment, before reaching out and giving the old man a hug.  “That was exactly what I needed to hear!  Thanks, Maechen!”

“Yes, well!” he said, clearing his throat and extracting himself from her grasp.  Setting his robes to right, he smiled at her.  “It brings me joy to hear this old man was able to be of some use to you, Lady Rikku.  Now, if you’d like to hear a story about—”

“Oh wow!  Look at the time!” Rikku gushed, holding her cheeks as she turned her dance into a jog.  “I better get going before I’m late to my, uh, meeting!”

“You have a meeting on the Farplane?” Maechen asked with confusion.  “But the Farplane is eternal, my dear.  There’s no need to rush.” 

“Oh, there’s very much a need,” she corrected.  “I’ve got a meeting with destiny, and I’ve been putting it off for five years already.  I gotta run.  Thanks again!”   Waving, she turned and sprinted down the hallway.

“Oh… very well then!  Goodbye, Lady Rikku!  I hope we meet again…” she heard him call after her, but she didn’t slow her pace or look back.  Chatting with Maechen could easily add another month or two to her journey if she let him have his way.

She stopped before the steps leading towards the portal, taking in the sight.  Once she crossed the Gate, Auron would be able to see her if he was watching for her.  Slowly, she climbed up the steps, wondering if he was… and what he’d have to say to her.

He promised to wait for me, she reminded herself, before taking a deep breath and stepping through.

Cool air and rustling winds greeted her; the pyreflies swirled around her as if to welcome her home.  Thankfully, there was no one else present on the platform, so she relaxed and let her hair return to its natural length and color.  Then, glancing around, she spotted him.  Auron was sitting on a rock, looking out over the edge at the endless fields of flowers.  He half-turned when she came in, his eye widening, and he stood.  His face was scarred, one eye permanently shut, and the unruly hair at his temples was still adorned with streaks of white.  He hadn’t reverted completely into his older appearance, though there were more lines on his face than she’d remembered seeing the last time they’d parted.  They were rapidly smoothing out as she raced to meet him.

“Rikku!  What are you doing here?”

He grunted as she hit him full speed, pushing him over the edge and sending them hurtling towards the flowers below.  Wrapping his arms around her, he laughed and pulled her close.  “You have a plan, I assume?”

“What, you don’t like smashing into the ground at terminal velocity?” she joked as she summoned her suit around her body.  With a blast of her jets, she took them further into the grassy fields, dusting over the tops of the flower fields in a whirlwind of petals.  She set them down gently near an enormous waterfall.  As her suit fell away, she snuggled into him, turning her face into his chest.  “I missed you, Auron.”

His arms tightened around her.  “As did I.  But… what are you doing here?  It’s much too soon.”

She pouted, looking up at him.  “Too soon for what?  It’s been five years already!  Five long, Auron-less years,” she said, peppering kisses over his neck and cheek between her words.  “I wanted to see you again.”  Her voice dropped to a soft whisper and her light, eager touches turned into a more purposeful caress.  “I wanted to be with you again.”

“You came back too soon,” he repeated, his voice turning stern as he extracted himself from her grip.  He held himself stiffly in her arms; Jecht’s favored nickname for him never felt more appropriate.  Releasing him reluctantly, Rikku took a step back and tried to meet his eye.  “Auron?”

He refused to look at her, his head turned so that she could only glimpse his scarred eyelid.  Sucking in her breath, she pushed up against him, forcing him to acknowledge her invasion of his personal space.  “Why don’t you want this?  Haven’t you missed me?”  She pressed herself even closer, trying to make her point physical.

Finally, he let out a sigh and turned his head just enough to look at her.  “You know what sex means to me,” he told her bluntly.  “I cannot ‘simply’ seek release with you.  This is not an itch to be scratched, Rikku.  My body and my soul are one entity now.  To give you this body once more would be to give you my very soul.  And to damn myself in the process.”

His rejection was like a stinging slap in her face.  What followed wasn’t hurt, but anger.  “Excuse me?  Is that all I am to you now, some kind of lust demon visiting just to tempt you off of your chosen path of self-flagellation?  You think I’m gonna eat you alive?”  Well, there was some truth in that last part in the most salacious sense.  Still, it wasn’t like accepting her feelings again would shatter his soul… would it?

Like you did to Braska.

“Stop!”  Auron’s arms circled her, though his face was as tight with frustration as his voice.  It was as if he could hear her thoughts.  Maybe he could; they hadn’t needed words, by the end of their time together.  “You are no demon, Rikku.  Don’t let my candor do yourself that disservice.”  He closed his eye and bent down, touching his forehead to hers.  When he spoke again, his voice was pained.  “You’re the most beautiful woman in my entire world.  My most passionate love, my most painful regret.  Taking you here would mean to reforming the connection we had twenty years ago.  Re-igniting those passions.  Now more than ever, with my body like this, that would mean losing myself.  Losing my tether to my sanity, and what little remains of my humanity.”  His grip loosened, and he eased away from her.  “My love for you will consume me.  Turn me into a twisted, jealous version of myself that will seek nothing but revenge in my envy for the living.  It’s too dangerous.”

She shook her head, a lump rising in her throat.  He really believed that?  That history would repeat itself, that they were destined to fail?  That there could never be a happy ending for lovers born into the wrong times?

In the past, she would have capitulated.  Cried, perhaps.  Seen his point of view after agonizing endlessly over it.  But this time, she wasn’t alone.  She didn’t have to rely on her own thoughts and insecurities to answer him.  The world had moved on from Sin’s cloying despair; people were finally learning that sacrifice could be a choice, rather than a mandate.  Somehow, while lingering in the Farplane, Auron had missed the memo.

It was a common theme among everyone she’d met in this new world.  That happiness wasn’t something that happened to you; it was something you reached out and grabbed for yourself with both hands.  “Being greedy means staying here, for me,” Tidus had explained in Besaid.  Paine, as happy as she’d been to see her again, also made clear that her priority was with the Guardians now.  “I, too, want to be greedy,” Braska told her in Zanarkand, not just in the pursuit of her love but also in search of his own return to humanity.  Brother proudly declared “I am a Gullwing first!” as he stepped out from underneath Keyakku’s shadow.  Gippal had grasped her hand, trying to convince her to stay and take on the burden of Al Bhed leadership with him.  Heck, even Jecht wanted a dog, and Jecht was self-admittedly the least in touch with his humanity of them all.

Was loving her so dangerous, really?  Or was Auron just trying to distance and protect himself on the non-zero chance that things could go wrong between them again?  He’d lived a lifetime of hurt; so much so that his soul hadn’t been able to move on, not even after Yuna sent him back to the Farplane. 

Wait.  She froze, her brain working to connect the dots.  If he wants me to move on from him, then why is he waiting for me?

She felt as though the world was becoming clearer as her thoughts coalesced, forming a picture that her tangled emotions in the past had never allowed her to see.

He’s being selfish too!  Refusing to move on and instead watching over her, waiting for her to return.  Fully expecting her to declare his voluntary loyalty to her unnecessary and seal his own miserable fate.

If she considered it objectively, that was the real distortion taking place in his thinking as an Unsent.  A fully human Auron would have jumped at every chance available to him to be together with her.  It had been a driving obsession by the end of Braska’s pilgrimage, and a contributing factor to his mental breakdown after Sin’s defeat.

So… this reluctance on his part wasn’t about being able to love her as an Unsent.  No; he’d already started to bend and warp his humanity away with each moment he clung onto his afterlife.  Even now he still tried to pave a one-way path towards his final rejection, as if no other options existed.  He was hanging around just to justify ending their story with his return to oblivion.

It’s up to me to make him more human by showing him just how wrong he is.   She considered Auron standing there, looking more forlorn than she’d ever seen him.  Still trying to chase her away rather than embrace her.

“The problem with you is that you see selfishness as a flaw,” she huffed at him.  “But it’s not wrong to be a little selfish too sometimes, you know?  I understand that now.  Are you thinking of something like ‘the greater good’?  Because you can’t look out for that if you aren’t looking out for yourself, first.”

He stared at her, surprised by her pushback.  Reaching up, she placed her palms against both of his cheeks, forcing him to see her.  To look at her as the adult she was now, rather than his memory of her as an insecure girl trying to juggle the weight of Spira’s future on her own.  For once in her life, she was dead certain that he was wrong.

“Being selfish and self-centered, wanting to make ourselves happy… that’s what it means to be human, for better or for worse.  That’s what returning to humanity taught me in these last five years.  And trying your way, denying that I missed you – that was what made me the unhappiest.  It was obvious to everyone except me, at least until my friends staged an intervention.”  She released him with a confident smile.  “So that’s what I’m gonna do for you.  Consider this an intervention.”

Then she grabbed onto his shoulders and shoved.  It shouldn’t have worked; he was so much stronger than her.  But his surprise gave her an edge, as did the foot she hooked around his ankle.  He went down with a grunt, splayed amongst the flowers.  Looming over his prone body, she glared at him.

“I’m tired of following your lead.  I’m not gonna go with the flow anymore, Auron.  Doing that only gives me regrets, and I’m so done with those.” As she spoke, her fingers worked at the clasps on her vest.  She shrugged it off, leaving her in her revealing mesh undershirt. 

His eye widened. 

“I’ve decided that I wanna be with you.  If that’s dangerous, then that’s my choice to make.  I think if you were really that scared, you would have moved on already.  But here you are, waiting for me.”  As she spoke, she peeled off her skirt, then her socks and boots.  He flinched as each item hit the ground beside him.  “What’s a girl supposed to think when you do something like that, huh?  You really believe I’d settle for flowers and sweet words from somebody else when you’ve been hanging around here for years, giving me your life?”

Bending forward, she stripped off her mesh shirt and then straddled his thighs.  His drank in the sight of her in hungrily, but his hands gripped at the earth below him, his fingers digging grooves into the soft loam rather than her skin.  Biting her lip, she tamped down on her annoyance and redoubled her efforts to seduce him.

“If you really believe loving me is going to turn you into a monster, then I’ll accept that.”  She leaned over him and planted her palms into the ground, caging his head.  “You’d be my monster.  And I’d just turn into a worse monster than you anyhow.”  Her lips brushed by his ear.  He sucked in a deep breath and trembled at her low whisper.  “I won’t let you hurt anyone.  But I’m not gonna let you run away, either.  This time I’m going to find my way, just like you told me to.”

“Rikku,” he choked out, his face flushed. 

She sat back and ground against him and he let out a low groan, his eye sliding shut as his head tipped back.  She grabbed his chin in one hand and yanked him back down, forcing him to watch her.  “Don’t you dare look away,” she hissed.  “Talking big about all the things I might do to you.  Well what about what you do to me?”  Her voice caught as she felt him respond, straining against her through the fabric of his pants.  With her free hand, she clasped her own throat and then traced a slow path down to her navel, spreading her fingers wide.  His eye tracked the movement hungrily.  “This isn’t just about me wanting you,” she breathed, still rocking against him.

“We— we shouldn’t—”  He shuddered again, jerking so violently he nearly bucked her off, and she let out a peal of laughter.

“We totally should.  But okay,” she said, backing off, stifling a giggle at the tiny whine he made when she lifted herself off of him.  “I’m not gonna force you.”  The front of his pants were drenched with the evidence of her excitement; they both stared at one another for a long moment, breathing heavily.

“This,” she said, gesturing between them.  “Is about you telling me to move on.  Demanding that I find a new love and life for myself with somebody else.  How could you do that to me?  How could you be that cruel?  I still love you.  I traveled to the past for you.”

He grimaced in pain, adjusting himself.  “And you made me live through your childhood,” he answered, his voice laced with acid.  “You knew.  You knew what would come, and yet you still made me suffer through every moment of hope I had with you.  Watching you during Yuna’s pilgrimage was misery.  To see you like that, an innocent child on the cusp of adulthood with a baseless crush on an old man twice your age!  You knew nothing of what you would one day reduce me to.  You forced me to become your Guardian, and I could reveal nothing to you!  You are the one who was cruel, Rikku.”

She leaned back, unable to deny it, but blinked and pushed through the shock of his verbal assault.  His words were barbed; he was aiming to hurt her.  Maybe this was what he meant about being Unsent; he’d already cut himself off from all of the happiness he’d felt and dwelled on his suffering.

“Auron.”  She reached out and grabbed his hand.  “So maybe I jumped the gun here, but… you’re right about sex.  It shouldn’t be something we do to escape from our pain and regrets.  What I want…”

She closed her eyes and thought about seeing Braska again in Zanarkand.  The teasing, the innuendos, those had always been there even during his life.  But beneath it, when she’d finally accepted him, was his disbelief.  As if he thought he hadn’t deserved anything anymore.  Showing him how she’d felt had been cathartic for both of them; rather than bringing her guilt, it filled her with a sense of relief.

That’s what I want with Auron.  Not the angry, desperate lust we had for each other during Braksa’s pilgrimage.  I do want his soul.

“You’re the one putting this divide between us.  I just want to heal it.” Opening her eyes, she looked at him.  “I can get sex from anyone, Auron.  But I can’t find healing with anybody else except you.”

A muscle in his cheek jumped.  Then he turned away from her.  “Then you’ll have to remain broken.”

Anger flickered to life and licked through her.  Well, if the only emotions that could move him now were his darker ones, she wasn’t above using dirty tricks to make him listen.  Sitting upright, she lifted herself onto her knees.  “You know, I slept with Braska.”

He froze, then turned around slowly.  “What?  When?”

“A few days ago.” 

Auron’s look of fury melted into surprise.  “How—”

“I brought him back temporarily,” she continued before he could interrupt her, running her fingers through her ponytail and carefully releasing it.  “He wasn’t completely himself, but he remembered enough of his life to want me.” Messy blonde locks interspersed with braids tumbled down over her shoulders.  “And I remembered enough to want him back.  So we did it.”  She stopped combing through her hair and touched her neck instead.  “He was good.”  Moving her hands down, she traced a fingertip over her collarbones.  “Really good.”  Her fingers traveled lower, circling around her breasts.  “But he wasn’t you.  It was gratifying, but he couldn’t fill that emptiness you left behind.”  Palming her nipples a few times, she tried to soothe the ache that pulsed through them.  It sent tingles directly down her spine, and when she released herself they stood at attention, grabbing his.  With an audible sigh, she continued to explore her own body.  Watching him stare, enraptured, made her skin prickle.  The soft, ever-present wind of the Farplane whispered past her ears and raised goosebumps along her skin.

His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and his voice came out hoarser than usual when he spoke.  “What do you think you’re doing?” 

Unable to help herself, she drove her finger downwards, dipping into herself to tease at the burn gathering between her legs.  “That voice,” she mewled, probing more deeply and shuddering.  “Vilg, it’s like melted chocolate.  Say something else, Auron.  Please.”

Between the pants of her breath, coming faster now, she heard the rustle of his clothing as he pushed himself up to his elbows.  His gaze, already darkened with anger, was now growing hazy a different kind of passion.  “Please!” she begged again, unashamed of her blatant plea.

He sat up fully, unable to look away, and leaned toward her.  His hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her motion, and his thumb traced over her pulse point.  “Do you like touching yourself?”

Ahh, she thought, her voice catching on a sob as she swayed into his chest.

“Rikku,” he groaned, and she twisted free of his grasp so she could move again.  She clenched sweetly around her questing finger, carried away by the sound of his voice.

Hazily, she heard him swear and then cried out as his hand chased after hers and stopped her motions, pulling her finger away from her body with a wet squelch.  The sharp scent of her arousal rose between them and his grip tightened.  “You’re soaked,” he rumbled, his voice thick with desire.  He took over, gathering the slickness that was dripping down her thighs before pumping his finger in and out of her.  “You missed laying with me so much that you had to ask Braska for help?”  He slid a second finger in to join the first, his thumb circling her clit.

It was hard to concentrate on his words when he moved like that.  Instead, she let the rough sound of his voice carry her along with his merciless thrusts.  He pulled a string of shallow, breathy pants from her throat; his parted lips and his flushed cheeks told her that he liked them.  And then he curled his fingers in, knowing exactly where to pressure her, and she let out a gasp that drew out into a debauched moan when he didn’t stop.

“You enjoy this entirely too much,” he rebuked her, though his motions didn’t slow in the least.

“This,” she puffed, grabbing onto his shoulders and clinging to him.  “Is more than sex.  What I like is you, Auron.”  She lifted her hips, meeting his plunging fingers eagerly.  Her breath left her in a wheeze.  “What I missed is you.”  One hand found the back of his neck and forced him down.  Her lips met his in a hard, desperate kiss that revealed much more than her quivering body did.

He froze, and she used the opportunity to reach down and cup him.  He was rigid and heavy, a warm weight against her palm.  She made quick work of his trousers to free him, drawing a groan out of him that she felt all the way down to her toes.

As soon as she gripped him, he released her and shifted his hold, his hands cupping around her rear and lifting her in a casual display of his strength.  Her thoughts stuttered to a stop when he used that same power to pull her towards him and thrust into her with one solid, forceful motion.

She was so wet and ready that he slid in easily, but she still cried out at the delicious friction, overcome by raw sensation.  “Auron,” she wept, overtaken not only the feel of him, but also her own memories.  Her fingers clawed at his back, as if she could pull him in deeper and keep him there; she shuddered and felt complete for the first time since returning to her Spira.

Part of her wondered if he felt it, too… the connection between them, beyond the purely physical cravings of lovemaking.  He’d said his body was also his soul now.  Was he simply moving in response to her overtures like an animal unable to deny its instincts?  Or was his soul shaking as much as her body was?

She abandoned the thought when he dropped a hand between them to force her thighs further apart before dragging his palm up her pelvis.  Gripping her hips tightly, he held her aloft; his one eye was wide, drinking in her expression.  Reading something in what he saw, he sank backwards, spreading his own knees to let gravity bring her body flush against his.

“Yes,” he answered her unspoken question, holding her steady.

Warmth flooded through her. “Then—”

“You win,” he added, the faint hint of a smile easing the tension between them.  It dropped as he regarded her solemnly.  “I’m sorry.”

She couldn’t stop the warm feeling that was spreading through her at his words; she didn’t want to.  Leaning over, she kissed him:  a sloppy, teeth-jarring thing that really wasn’t sexy at all, considering their compromising position.  But it was enough to get her point across – her joy, her relief, and her acceptance of him and everything he’d become in their time apart.  He met it with no less eagerness, his fingers digging into her sides, huffing a laugh against her impatient, questing lips.

She reared her head back, pouting.  “Hey, no laughing at me.”  Then her expression turned coy and she shifted against him.  “… Just how sorry are you, anyway?”

He answered by arcing his back, lifting her away only enough to gain the momentum to drive against her, no longer holding himself back.  Her breath left her in a whoosh and she scrabbled for purchase, completely at the mercy of the pace he set.  He strained himself against her as if he was trying to meld their bodies into one.  She managed to snake a hand down to grasp his buttocks, taut and slicked with sweat, feeling the muscles there moving beneath her palm rhythmically with each thrust.

In a feat of dexterity she was particularly proud of, she lifted her legs higher and wrapped them around his waist, tightening and pulling him in.

That was what undid him.  His thrusts become erratic and his face flushed red, unable to tear his eye away from her face.  His eyebrows drew together and his mouth fell open.  A helpless groan bubbled up from deep within his chest; together with the look on his face, she was enraptured.  He was losing control; losing the stoic distance he’d perfected wearing.  And suddenly, in that moment, he looked achingly human again; like the man who had loved her, who’d feared losing her, who’d swore he’d start a family with her.  His vulnerable look pushed her over the edge.

For a moment, there was nothing but sensation; a rolling pleasure where there was no sense of self, only overwhelming ecstasy.  Her high dissipated slowly; as she came back to her body, she realized Auron was still going.  He’d settled her against the ground and was holding himself up by his forearms, his fingers locked around her outstretched hands.  The look on his face was tortured, but he didn’t stop moving, simply slowing enough to accommodate her descent.

 “Wha—”  Her words cut off into a whine as he thrust against her, still sensitive from her climax.  “Auron,” she gasped.  “W-why don’t you—”

He bent his head into her neck and bit at her earlobe.  “No,” he said lowly.  “You wanted this.  You asked for it.  Now, you’ll receive it.”  When he pulled back, his gaze was hungry, as if he wanted to devour her whole.

She realized, then, as he continued to move, reigniting her tingling nerves, that she wasn’t alone.  He, too, was holding back years of desire for her.  Many more.  How he must have pushed his wants and his needs away for so long, trying to force her to move on from him.  She was his tether to the Farplane, despite his duty being long fulfilled.  Now, as he rose above her, his faced pinched with vehement intensity, it was as if he was trying to make that bond a physical one.

Her thoughts were beginning to scatter; Auron was too good at shutting off her brain and making her feel.  Still, past the physicality of the act, there was a fervor to him that could easily go dark.  Fear, she realized.  He was scared, frightened of succumbing to his obsession, of turning into an Unsent like Trema or Seymour.  He drove into her and she could feel it in her bones; feel the churning anger, regret, loss, and lust powering his movements.  His grip was like iron and she curled her fingers around his palms, trying to ground him.

It was a losing battle; a fire she’d stoked in him that was rapidly growing out of control.  He thrust his cock into her, his hips almost bruising.  The air grew hot and humid around them, sweat beading on both of their bodies as the Farplane reacted to their wills.  Even the song of the pyreflies was lost, drowned out by the sound of their bodies.

Still hyper-sensitive from her last orgasm, Rikku felt herself being consumed by his dark compulsions.  It was too soon; she couldn’t recognize her own voice or body as it responded to his ministrations.  The rush was overcoming her despite her attempts to focus and see him; her pulse roared in her ears.

She felt the muscles of his abdomen spasm and flex as he tried to push deeper; he came with a wordless yell, trembling around her.  The slight shift in angle as he emptied himself into her sent her into another blinding orgasm and she cried out his name, hoarse and desperate. 

When she came back to herself, he was already pulling out of her, and she gasped from the sudden loss of his warmth.  “No,” she mumbled incoherently, wanting to keep him within her for as long as possible.  He didn’t listen, instead flipping her over and pulling her to her knees.  He bent her over, no longer gentle.

“I love you,” he grit out, spreading her legs and thrusting back into her. 

She let out a long breath in shock.  How is he hard again already?  Auron moved behind her, his hands sliding down her back to grab her hips, and she realized his body was similar to hers now – an existence made of willpower and thought.  She’d teased and tested him, not realizing that the further she drove him, the more she separated him from his mortal constraints.

His thigh brushed against hers as he angled himself against her, and her thoughts fractured.  She couldn’t concentrate; he was scattering her consciousness into mindless pleasure with each drive into her.  Her world narrowed down to the fingers playing against her clit and the cock sliding in and out of her, cresting her into another shallow climax; she was pretty sure she was drooling. 

Then he murmured, and everything went white as the Cure spell crashed through her from his fingertips, amplifying every sensation almost painfully.

He was still moving when she was able to feel her own body again; her legs were going numb, and his hands were struggling to find purchase on her sweat-drenched skin.  He still pounded against her like a man possessed.

No… I have to take back control of this, she thought, biting back a moan as he hit over-sensitized core just where she was weakest to him.  A shudder passed through her, but she bit her lip harshly, focusing on the pain to drown it out.  Focus, Rikku!

She pushed herself off of the ground and elbowed his side.  It hurt; it felt like she’d rammed her arm into a brick wall.  But he did react to the strike, rearing back.  Taking advantage of his surprise, she reached behind herself and grabbed his head with both hands, twisting.

His face came into view; his lone eye’s iris had become fully red and his mouth was open; his entire face was contorted with lust.  In contrast to his former expression, it was as if his humanity was burning away this time, leaving behind something primal and hard-edged.  She even thought she glimpsed an elongated fang among his exposed teeth as he snarled at her. 

But it’s still Auron.  I won’t let his fears become reality. 

Pushing aside her judgement she pulled him down and sealed her mouth over his.  He thrashed against her, drawing blood with those razor-sharp teeth, but calmed down when she refused to let go.  She made sure to linger, laving her tongue over his lips to soothe the tiny cuts he’d left on both of them before parting.

When she looked at him again, his features had returned to the man she knew, filled with exhaustion and regret.  He slid out of her and helped her lie back against him, gently cradling her limp body against his chest.

“You…” he managed to gasp, blinking the sweat out from his reddened eye.  “You’re not angry?” 

She let out a soft, tired laugh, collapsing against him.  Auron had fucked her so hard she’d lost track of her own orgasms, but this… this was the first time during their lovemaking that he’d asked about her feelings.  She read it in his face; he was feeling guilty.  Guilty that he’d lost control and ended up chasing his own pleasure, regardless of her wishes.  He thought he’d hurt her.

Well, that wouldn’t do.

“I told you, I wanted this.”  She raised her hand slowly, still not quite able to move her legs from under her, and caressed his scarred cheek.  “Nobody makes me do anything I don’t want.  Not anymore.”  She smiled at him.  “Not even you.  So wipe that hangdog expression off your face already.  You didn’t hurt me.  I liked it.”

He buried his face into her neck, shaking.  “I knew this would happen.  I warned you.  This won’t work, Rikku.  We won’t work.”  His voice was thick with shame.

She sighed, continuing to let her fingers play through the whitened streak of hair at his temple.  “I don’t care if you think it’s better for me to be mature and find a replacement for you.  Go on thinking that if you want.  But don’t force that on me.  I choose you.  I choose whatever this is.  Us, together.  It can’t be a bad thing if we both love each other and want it, right?”

The fire-ants crawling up and down her legs told her feeling was returning to them, so she struggled against him and sat up, twisting her torso to face him fully and make him look at her.  “Yes, it felt good, but being with you like this is about more than just feeling your body.”  Her fingers found his own and laced through them.  She brought her other hand up and traced down the scar on his face again.  “I want us to spend the rest of our lives together.  Whether that means forever, or just for today.  No more regrets, okay?  So stop trying to turn our feelings into something that hurts you.  I won’t let you become that kind of a person.”

Auron reached out, still shivering, and pulled her to him.  She turned and planted a soft kiss on his cheek and he melted against her, sobbing.  She held him close, letting him find a different sort of release in her arms; one that had been far too long in the making.

He finally exhausted himself, separating from her; he hadn’t gotten any younger, but at least his features remained fully human.  He still trembled in her grasp, as though he might shatter if she let go of him. 

“Shh.  It’ll be fine.  We’ll figure this out together.  But… I’ll always be here for you.  You won’t have to wait alone anymore.  And you won’t have to die alone anymore, either.”  She caught his eye.  “Leave the Farplane and come back with me.  Choose to live this time.  Just like you commanded me to do, you hypocrite.”  She smiled to soften the blow, keeping her voice gentle and soothing.

“I want to,” he admitted, his arms tightening around hers.  “But how long will I last before I succumb to my own desires and turn into a fiend?  You brought me back this time.”

“I’ll bring you back every time,” she declared, digging her fingers into his skin.  “But not all Unsent turn into fiends, you know.  You managed it during Yuna’s pilgrimage.  You stayed human for over a decade.”

“I had a goal.  Something to focus on.”

Smirking, Rikku leaned back against him and silently sent Jecht her thanks.  “Well, you still do.  I mean, the sex was great, but I actually came here to ask for your help with something, too.”

“Oh?”  His confidence was returning, now that she was throwing him back into familiar waters.  “Does it have to do with your family?  I know Cid’s been involved in a few issues.”  His face morphed into annoyance.  “That man has always been a troublemaker.”

Rikku giggled.  “Runs in the family, I think.”

“Yes, well, at least your type of trouble doesn’t bring the Al Bhed to the brink of a civil war.”  He sighed.  “So what do you need me to do?”

“Not get involved in Al Bhed politics,” she said, reaching for her clothes and starting to dress.  She paused when he noticed he wasn’t joining her, instead watching her movements distractedly.  Yep.  That was definitely his eye on her boobs.  “Hey!  Spira to Auron!   Are you even listening?”  She made sure to wave enthusiastically, if just to ensure that he wasn’t.

“Hmm?  Yes.  No politics.  Good,” he grunted, capitulating and donning his own clothes much more reluctantly.  “Then what else is it?”

“I need you to help me find a puppy for Jecht!”

The pants dropped out of his hands as he stared at her in disbelief.

Chapter Text

“So… how are we supposed to do this?” 

Auron stared at the Gate which allowed visitors to enter into the Farplane, his brows drawn together.  Rikku stopped next to him, frowning.  She hadn’t considered that Auron wouldn’t know what to do.  Thinking it over, though, he’d never actually had to enter or leave the Farplane before.  His ‘life’ as an Unsent had begun and ended in Spira.  Pushing aside her apprehension, Rikku put on her most confident smile. 

“I mean… I think you just go for it?” she offered with a shrug.  “I stepped out and boom!  There I was, a real girl in the real world.”

He stopped trying to bore a hole into the ephemeral wall with his eye long enough to give her a look.  “You just go for it,” he deadpanned.

She laughed nervously and then glanced at the exit, considering how to explain the feeling of becoming real to him.  It was all too similar to Braska’s plea in Zanarkand:  yet another impossible task that she somehow needed to come up with a solution for.  After a fruitless struggle with her words, she gave up.  “I mean, you’re already dead.  What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Don’t tempt fate.”  Despite his curt words, he grabbed her hand and stepped towards the Gate with no warning.

“Whoa!” she yelled, off-balance from being yanked after him.  The veil of the Gate slipped over her skin like a brush of cool silk.  She knew this feeling; the last time she’d experienced it, Auron had been the one urging her through.  This time, their roles were reversed.  Her surprise turned into a soft gasp when her feet hit the ground on the other side before his.  She looked back to see him still grasping onto her hand, his passage unnaturally slowed.  His eye widened as the magical wall pushed him back.  Before he could lose his grip she turned and grabbed onto his wrist with her other hand.

Her clutch around his arm tightened, meeting resistance, and she pulled against it.  It was nothing like her own transition, as easy as passing through air, light as her own breath.  Bringing Auron across was, by contrast, like dragging him through thick, gelatinous sludge.

“Don’t give up,” she gasped when his fingers loosened.

Auron grimaced and then brought his other hand to join hers.  It wasn’t so much of a physical barrier between them but a weight; as if this was the true burden of forming his emotions into a tangible entity in the outer world.  The force of his yearning and regret was immense, but it was that very heaviness that made him so real to her.  It wasn’t his sorrows and hardships that held him back; this pressure was the weight of the happiness they’d shared in the past.  The good memories, she realized, were what really tied him to remain in the world, not the bad ones.  Understanding that solidified her resolve to see him through no matter how much resistance she felt.

His hand gripped hers more tightly and he fought through it, his face contorting with pain.

“Does it hurt?” she asked, though she already knew the answer just by watching him struggle.

He smiled grimly and gritted out an answer for her.  “Not… really.”

Rikku put her back into it, redoubling her efforts to pull him through.  I’m not leaving anyone behind anymore!

Finally his hand emerged on the other side, followed slowly by his arms.  And then all at once he tumbled into her as if a line holding him back had snapped.  Crashing into one another, they rolled across the floor with the force of it, coming to a stop precariously close to the top of the stairs.

They sprawled over the ground in an uncomfortable tangle of limbs and bruises.  From the way he was panting against her, Auron was even worse off than she was.  Letting herself lay there for a moment, she took a few deep breaths to steady her heartbeat.  “Why’d you lie?” she wheezed out when she could speak.

Eventually, Auron slid off of her and rolled over, gracelessly bumping down a few steps in the process.  “It wasn’t a lie,” he grunted as he righted himself.  “That pain was nothing compared to losing the three of you.”

Sitting up, Rikku looked down at him and sighed.  “C’mon.  Stop it.  Don’t be like that.”

He tilted his head upwards to squint at her.  “Like what? A realist?”

“A party pooper!” she yelled, nudging him with her toe.  It was good to see that he’d come back in a body that was younger than the one he’d worn during Yuna’s Pilgrimage, but the dour look on his face was adding years to his expression.  “Why are you being so gloomy?  We made it, didn’t we?”

He stood up more slowly than she did, wincing and holding his side.  “Because I’m dead, Rikku.  And this is only temporary.”

She sucked in her breath.  “Temporary?”  Her fists clenched.  “I’m going to find a permanent solution for us.  I’m gonna get it right this time.  Being in Spira without you…”  She dropped her head, watching her nails dig crescents into the meat of her palms without really feeling the pain.  “I wasn’t alive either, Auron.  Not really.  It sucked.”  She shut her mouth before any more words could come spilling out.  He’d just left the Farplane, and she didn’t want to start off his triumphant return to Spira with a reality check on just how miserable she’d been without him.

He must have sensed something of the torrent of emotions she dammed up and reached out to touch her arm gently.  “Forgive me for not being able to share in your optimism.  This world… has not treated me kindly.  I can’t sustain myself on naïve hope anymore.”  He drew her down towards him, folding her into his arms.  “But even this much is a gift.  None of it would be possible without you, and I’m grateful.  More than you can know.  I just won’t delude myself into believing we can have something that was never meant to be.”

He sounded so fatalistic that it hurt.  Squeezing her eyes shut, she took that pain and used it to cut through the haze of her own aching memories.  I don’t care what Auron thinks about it.  This is a chance, and I’m gonna take it.

“I’ll prove to you that this isn’t just my wishful thinking.  I’m an aeon now.  Our whole specialty is turning dreams into reality.”  She leaned back and smiled at him, pushing some of his unruly grey hair away from his temples.  “Now let’s get out of here before the tourists start flooding the Farplane.  We’re a little too conspicuous, don’t you think?”

Looking down the stairs, Auron sighed.  “Yes… a good idea.  No matter what I look like right now, I’m sure my presence will prompt unwanted questions.”

Rikku grabbed his cheeks and pulled him in for a quick kiss.  “You look like the man I love.  In other words, perfect.  The problem is you’re dressed like him, too.  Everybody in Spira knows that red coat.”  Grabbing his hand, she turned and led him down the stairs.  “We need to get out of here before people spot you and make a connection.”

As they rushed down the corridor leading back towards the city, they met a steady trickle of tourists visiting the Farplane.  They were garnering several looks, and with a jolt Rikku realized that she hadn’t re-donned her disguise.  Her long hair was still blonde and bound in her signature braided ponytail, and her eyes were swirls of unmistakable green.

“Shoot… I think they recognize me,” she muttered, leading them past a curious couple whispering behind their hands.  “And even if they don’t, I look so Al Bhed!”

Auron’s fingers tightened around her own.  “That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”  He hugged the wall, using her as a physical barrier between himself and the curious stares of onlookers.  “I’m more worried that they recognize me,” he murmured into her ear.  “My coat’s the problem?”  He stopped to push the red fabric down to pool around his waist, exposing both of his bare arms. 

As a result, everyone got an eyeful of Auron’s finely chiseled biceps.  A few women who were now very definitely staring tittered, their cheeks reddening. 

“That’s not much less flashy than just wearing your coat,” she hissed.  “Put those guns away!”

“I’m not carrying any guns—” he whispered before she shushed him and glared at the offending musculature.  With a sigh, he shrugged his coat back on.  “Make up your mind,” he growled as she jostled him out onto the street. 

Resisting the urge to simply dive off the balcony onto the path below to save time, she hustled him along the less well-lit pathways towards Leblanc’s hotel.  While it wasn’t as crowded as the path to the Farplane, they were still garnering too much attention.  A smaller, less-traveled local tailor shop caught her eye, and she changed course to take shelter inside as an idea sparked.

“What are we doing here?”  Auron pushed away the strips of colorful fabric dangling from bolts that had been suspended along the ceiling with an air of harried annoyance.

“Strategizing,” Rikku explained, pulling the fabric back in place to shield him from the curious clerk.  Her eyes flitted over the distinctly Guado tailoring on offer before settling on a larger navy blue jacket, holding it up against Auron’s back.

“You can’t be serious.  This was obviously made for a Guado.”  He gestured at the elongated arms of the coat.

She clucked her tongue, testing the width of his shoulders against the cut of the fabric.  “You’re gonna need a disguise,” she murmured.  “In fact, start thinking up of a new name while I come up with something on this end.”

“This won’t fit me,” he repeated.

She threw the jacket over his head, cinching it closed beneath his chin with the sleeves.  “Doesn’t matter.  You can still hide your face with it.”  Grabbing a few more accessories and supplies, she all but flung her gil at the surprised shopkeeper.  “Keep the change!” she chirped, dragging Auron back outside.

They hurried to the hotel, now definitely catching eyes as they passed.  Fortunately (or not), the attention was once again centered on her rather than Auron. 

“Wait.  Isn’t this Seymour’s mansion?  ‘The Guado –’ what?” he muttered, sounding utterly bewildered as he read the glittering sign above the door.  They entered the lobby together and Auron tensed up when she approached the receptionist with a confident smile.

As expected, the She-Goon behind the counter was vibrating with excitement.  “Miss Pollendina!  We weren’t expecting such an honored guest...”  Her voice trailed off as she stared at Auron, who was still masking his appearance under the folds of the new jacket.  “… and her mysterious male companion!  Will you be requiring two rooms tonight, or…?”

Cringing, Rikku silently bid farewell to her privacy.  She could almost see the gil signs behind the She-Goon’s mask, already calculating the money the Leblanc Syndicate would collect selling her ‘discreet rendezvous’ to the tabloids, not to mention the free advertising she was giving the Syndicate by choosing to stay at their luxury resort.

“Just the one,” she replied sweetly through her grit teeth.

“Oh my, congratulations!” the She-Goon gushed.  “You’re in luck!  The Presidential suite just happens to be available right now.”  She dangled a key before them.

“Sorry, we can’t afford that,” Rikku cut in.  “Maybe something a little less—”

“Less?!  Why, we couldn’t possibly!  You’re a celebrity, Miss Pollendina.  I’m sure Mistress Leblanc would be willing to extend you the full courtesy of The Guado Salon,” the woman insisted, pushing the key into her hands.  “And even if she doesn’t, monthly down payments on your investment here are always negotiable.”  Rikku swore she could hear the sound of a cash register ringing behind those words.

“Thanks,” she grumbled, leading Auron up the stairs.

“Seymour’s mansion turned into a guesthouse?” he asked her as they climbed.  He shied away from one of the wall hangings sporting Leblanc’s trademark heart with a look of disgust.  “I can’t decide which is worse:  my memories of this place or its current incarnation.”

“Look, it’s really not all that bad,” Rikku muttered.  “Besides, have you ever tried the massage parlor here?  It’s out of this world—”

“Rikku.”

Her shoulders slumped.  “Ok, fine.  I owe the owner, alright?  After I fell into the Farplane, Leblanc put up everyone who was looking for me for free.  Besides, we need a place to crash so I can come up with a plan to get you out of here safely.”

Auron continued to soak in the tacky pink décor with as much aplomb as he could muster.  He paused, spotting the full-body portrait of Nooj at the end of the hallway.  “Yevon!” he swore reflexively as the lower half of the picture came into his view.

“Leblanc’s in love with Nooj, and Nooj is in love with onesies,” she explained, cringing a little and shielding her eyes from Leblanc’s vigorous homage to the male body.  “Also, Leblanc, umm… well, she always did like a good hyperbole.”

“A hyperbole?” he said, turning away from the portrait with a pained look.  “Is that what you call depicting a man that generously endowed in a skintight bodysuit?  What sort of a hotel is this anyway?”

“The free kind.”  Fumbling with the key, Rikku unlocked the large double doors before her.  She could practically feel the receptionist below cataloguing their every move as she pushed him inside.  Once the doors were safely shut, she sagged against them and groaned.  “That could have gone so much better.  Ugh!”

Wasting no time, Auron strode into the center of the large room, taking in its contents.  “Only one way out… through the front doors,” he observed with displeasure.  The frown on his face was growing deeper.  “How does anyone sleep in a place like this?”

“With sheer willpower,” she answered, wincing as he spotted the bed.

Auron stared at the offending piece of furniture, glaring as though his lone eye could set it and its satin pink sheets on fire.  “This bed is shaped like a heart.  And it vibrates.  Did you take me to a love hotel?”

“Well…”

“Just why is there a love hotel in the middle of Guadosalam?!”  Now he was eying some of the scented bath products with a look of mild apprehension and disgust.

“Ask Leblanc, not me,” Rikku sighed, considering the enormous tub with slightly more enthusiasm than Auron.  A bath sounded like exactly what she needed right now, and if there was one thing Leblanc always got right, it was pampering.  “Oh, and strip.”

Ignoring his furious brewing silence, she brushed past Auron and began laying out her newly-purchased prizes on the bed, her mind focused on working out how to properly disguise him.

“I am not making use of this hotel room, Rikku,” he finally said, sitting heavily on the edge of the bed and watching as she worked.  “I can’t imagine anything more off-putting than…”  He gestured vaguely at the entirety of the suite.  “This.”

“Very funny, Auron.  I didn’t bring you here to jump your bones again.”  Straightening, she crossed her arms and frowned.  “You need to get out of your signature red or people are gonna talk.  You look too much like yourself to pass for an Auron fanboy if you keep dressing the way you always do.”

Shifting, Auron looked away from her, obviously unhappy.  He startled as he caught sight of himself in the mirror… on the ceiling.  “You’re right.  I don’t suppose we can just lay low?”

She felt a twinge of sympathy for him; this wasn’t the way she’d wanted to reintroduce Auron to Spira.  At least she’d had some time to acclimate to the discomfort of her unwanted celebrity.  “Well, I wish, but apparently I’m even more famous than you right now.  And maybe not in the good way.  I think it’s better if you don’t take any chances.”

Groaning, Auron pulled out his long ponytail.  “This will have to go as well too, won’t it?”  He sighed.  “I haven’t needed to cut my hair since I was seventeen.”

“Let’s not jump the gun here,” she said, abruptly remembering the feel of his silken hair running unbound through her fingers.  He only let his hair down at his most unguarded moments.  He didn’t look very guarded right now, in fact.  She bit her lip, her fingertips twitching.

Focus!  Think of Nooj’s onesie!

That image instantly cooled any embers that might have been sparking to life.  Wincing, she turned her attention to the crumpled blue jacket she’d bought.  Smoothing it out only confirmed that the proportions were all wrong for a human.  The shoulders, however, were broad enough to fit Auron’s massive frame.  Plucking it off the bed, she got to work, tugging at the stitches holding the garment together and slicing through what little of the sleeves that she couldn’t pick apart with her dagger.

There was a rustle of cloth beside her; Auron was removing his red overcoat with reluctance. 

“I know.”  She dropped the Guado vest.  “Your hair, your clothes… it’s been with you so long it’s like it’s a part of who you are, right?  I felt that way too when I disguised myself coming here.”

“Hnn.”  Despite his agreement, he held his red coat out to her.  She twisted the fabric between her hands, holding it close to her face and inhaling deeply.  “Thank you for your service,” she murmured.  Then, digging her fingers in, she pulled.

“Wait, what are you –” Auron yelled, reaching for her.  He froze as the sound of a loud rip echoed through the room.

Stopping would mean second-guessing herself, so Rikku sped up instead, quickly and brutally stripping his pauldron away from the red fabric.  “Here, see?” she said, holding it up, unable to suppress her smile when she noticed the phoenix down she’d given him – a little tatty from wear – still dangling from it.  “Guado fashion might not exactly gel with this vintage Bevellian warrior-monk aesthetic, but this is important to you.  We’re not letting it go.”

Reaching for the blue jacket, she fitted his pauldron onto it.  One needle and more than a few stitches later, it was done.  “It doesn’t look half-bad,” she said.  “Try it on and I’ll make some adjustments.”

Sighing, he struggled into the coat, unused to the chintinous layering style of Guado fashion.  He stood with patience as she tugged, tweaked, and adjusted the new garment until it fit him properly.  Rather than being too long, the sleeves were now a little too short.  Despite that, he looked good in it; if she was being honest with herself, there wasn’t much someone as well-built as Auron could wear that would make him look bad. 

Stepping back, she eyed her work critically.  “It still needs something,” she mused, her eyes landing on the frayed edges of the ruined red coat.  She reached down and ripped a few more strips from it, ignoring the way Auron’s face twitched every time she tore another piece of fabric away.  “Sorry!”

He simply nodded, stoically standing witness to the destruction of his favorite overcoat.

Quickly, she fashioned some Guado-styled shin covers to slip over his fairly recognizable boots.   “Aaaand… one other thing,” she mused.  Taking a few more strips of red fabric, she carefully wound them into a head-tie that covered most of his scarred eye and cheek.

Auron sat patiently through it all, submitting to her ministrations with good grace.  His eye was trained on her the entire time as she fastened the cloth around his head.

“From the old, something new,” he murmured as she worked, catching her shiver at the sound of his voice.  His gaze sharpened; it felt like lightning dancing over her skin. 

Dropping her hands, she cupped his chin and lifted an eyebrow.  “I thought you said you wouldn’t be caught dead using this bed.”

“I already am dead,” he said, reaching for her.  “You’re very efficient when you work.”

“Oh?”

“I find such displays of competence to be stimulating.”  He was smirking now, and definitely interested in wasting her time, pink satin sheets notwithstanding.

“Wait wait wait!  Lemmie fix something first,” she blurted, reaching for his head-tie and adjusting it into a blindfold.  He tensed, but in a way that made her grin in anticipation.  “There.  See?  Now you don’t have to look at anything in this room,” she teased, pushing him backwards.  “Soooo… seeing as how I’m gonna be paying for this suite anyhow, what do you say we kill a few hours?”

“Dasbdnacc,” he muttered under his breath, remaining deceptively pliant under her fingertips.  “I suppose I can’t object.”

.x.x.x.

They crept out of the room at an hour so late it counted as early in the morning, hoping to sneak away unnoticed.  As expected, the reception desk was closed and the She-Goon was nowhere in sight.  The lobby, however, was not empty.

As soon as she rounded the bottom of the stairs, Rikku was blasted with sphere light so bright it made her squint.  “Wha—?!”

A rush of voices assaulted her, blending into one noisy, confusing morass of questions.  She blinked, the flashing lights of the sphere cams catching her off-guard. 

“Miss Rikku Pollendina!  So it’s true, you’ve finally come out of your seclusion in Besaid to join the rest of Spira!  What made you decide to break your silence?”

“Yes, I left Besaid!  I just wanted a change of scenery, that’s all!”  As she pushed the reporter away, another took his place just as quickly.  This one was Al Bhed, and spoke with a near-crazed reverence.

 “Lady Pollendina!  Have you been in contact with the Al Bhed Dynasty Restoration project?  Are you finally accepting your nomination as an Al Bhed ambassador to the rest of Spira?”

She recoiled from the woman’s attempts to grab her hand.  “What?  What ambassador?  I’m on vacation!  Stop that, you’re being a real creeper!”

Auron stepped in, his face like thunder, and shoulder-checked the nosy reporter out of her personal space.  “Come on,” he grunted, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her through the lobby despite the dogged reporters trailing after them.

Over her shoulder, she heard a yell as another eager journalist slipped through Auron’s defenses.  “Miss Pollendina!  What do you know of the strange events occurring in Macalania forest?  Has Lady Yuna expressed any thoughts on the New Yevon movement claiming to be re-establishing the existence of the Fayth?”

A surge of protectiveness had her spinning.  “Hey!  You leave Yunie out of this!” she shouted back, cringing as she realized she’d exposed herself to another round of shouted questions.

“That was a mistake,” Auron murmured in her ear, dragging her toward the doors.  “We can lose them outside.”  He grunted as a news anchor threw herself before them, blocking the exit with a sphere cam that she waved directly into Rikku’s face.

“Rikku!  Aren’t you intimately involved with the leader of the Machine Faction?  Does he know you’re here?  Is the mysterious man behind you your new beau?”

“What?  No, I’m not in a relationship with Gippal!  We’re just friends!  Please… let us through!”

Auron stepped in front of her, his lips pressed into a thin scowl.  “This ‘mysterious man’ is quickly losing his patience.  Move aside.”

With a preternatural readiness that spoke of a planned operation, the reporter switched her attention to Auron, crowding him with the sphere cam.  “And who might you be, sir?  Where did you come from?  Are you and Rikku Pollendina in a relationship?  An illicit one?  What were you two doing at The Guado Salon in the Presidential suite?”

“My name?  My name is…”  He paused for only a moment, before continuing smoothly.  “Aaron.  And it’s none of your business what we were doing here.  Excuse us.”  Then, he simply shoved the reporter out of the way, pulling Rikku after him.  He slammed the hotel doors shut behind him, blocking the shouting paparazzi inside.  “Give me something to bind the door with,” he instructed her.

Rikku pulled out a few long strips of red cloth she’d pilfered from his old jacket and helped him wrap them around both door handles, tying the ends off to form a makeshift lock.

“This won’t hold,” Auron observed grimly as the door shuddered.

“Run?” Rikku asked, stepping away from the door.

“Run,” he agreed, and they took off at a dead sprint.

Later, as they regrouped in the forest outside, Rikku caught her breath and laughed.  “Aaron?  What kind of a name is Aaron?”

“I don’t know, Rikkma,” Auron challenged her.  “What kind of a name do you think it is?”

“Alright, you got me,” she relented.  “We need a better cover story, though.  That was brutal.”  Checking their surroundings, she stepped behind Auron and concentrated, shortening her hair back into an unassuming brown.  Blinking, her eyes followed suit.  “This should help.  How do I look?” she asked, winking.

He was silent for a moment, staring at her with a slight frown.  “I didn’t know you could do that,” he eventually replied.

“Well, I didn’t know you could act.”

“Neither did I,” he admitted, prompting her laughter.  An amused look flitted over his face, but it drained away as he reached for her chin and gently turned her head, studying her from different angles.  “I don’t like the way you look now,” he admitted.  “I prefer the real you.”

She shrugged.  “It’s only fair.  You can’t even wear your red coat anymore.”

Auron shook his head, running his fingers carefully down her cheek.  “Clothing is merely decoration on our bodies.  Your eyes, your hair… those are your identity as an Al Bhed.  You can’t compare asking someone to change their clothing with asking someone to change their face.”

It was the second time he’d mentioned being uncomfortable with the idea of her so casually discarding her heritage.  He, a man raised as one of the most conservative warrior-monks in the entire Yevonite church, was actually chastising her for trying to hide her ethnicity for their convenience.  It was such a turnaround from their first meeting during Braska’s pilgrimage that it made her heart thud against her chest as a swell of emotion closed her throat.

He leaned over, resting his forehead against hers.  “Don’t change who you are for anyone.  Especially not me.”  He tugged at her short, brown hair with a look of frustration.  “And don’t mask yourself like this.  Even if it’s difficult being the Al Bhed princess right now, I’ll protect you.  My vow to you still stands.”

Tiptoeing up, touched her lips against his, closing her eyes.  When she opened them again, they were green, and her hair had returned to its natural state.  “That… means a lot to me,” she said, feeling the inadequacy of her words to express the sudden swell of love she felt for this man.  “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me for loving you.”  His arms tightened around her.  “Not when it’s your own effort that forced my eyes open so I could see you for who you really are.”  He hesitated.  “Despite what I said in the Farplane, I’m still glad you did.  I hate the idea of obscuring that.  Of forcing you to hide.”

She spent a few quiet, precious moments simply resting in his arms, reveling in the chance to enjoy the simple pleasure of his presence.   All too soon, she felt him shift and gently push her away.

“If we remain here for long, we’ll be discovered.  And possibly charged with a felony.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to just fly us right out of here?”

Grimacing, Auron directed her towards the road.  “You can’t even escape from a hotel room without being overwhelmed by reporters.  What makes you believe transforming into an airship will be simpler?”

She crossed her arms and sulked.  “I think I liked you better two minutes ago, when you were being all supportive of me.”

He took her by the elbow and linked his arm through hers, strolling along the path.  “I’m still being supportive.  You need to think of me as the voice of your volition.  I’m just preventing you from making bad calls.”

Snorting, Rikku snuggled into his side.  “I think you just want to see the Moonflow with me.  When did you become such a big romantic?”

“Hnn,” he answered, though he tightened his elbow around her arm.

“It’s still gonna take us three or four days to reach the north bank if we walk,” she pointed out.  “Even more if we keep walking like this.”

“I’ve come to realize that the journey can have more value than the destination,” he said mildly.  “We can shorten our trip when we near Djose.  Right now, I want to see all of Spira.  I haven’t set foot here in over a decade.”

 “Yeah, well...”  Rikku glanced around the forest.  “We might have to fight fiends, you know.”

Auron peered at her and then thrust out his free hand.  A few pyreflies gathered around it, solidifying into the Masamune.  The black, split-bladed sword gleamed in the light.  He hefted it onto his shoulder and smirked.  “Is that going to be a problem for you?”

Rikku skipped away from him, calling out her Godhand.  Winking, she held it up and let the claw snap and crackle with electricity.  “It’ll be just like old times, huh?”

“Sure.  Try to keep up,” he told her, continuing down the path past her with a roguish grin.

.x.x.x.

Compared to the excitement of Guadosalam, the forested path leading towards the Moonflow was peaceful.  There wasn’t really anything more exciting to fight than the occasional Archaeothyris or Blue Elemental, and they made good time.  Auron, much to Rikku’s delight, seemed to be enjoying himself.  There hadn’t been any further incidents of him transforming into something more fiendish, and she planned to keep it that way.

While she did actually catch the eye of some of the travelers who passed them on the road due to her family’s status, Auron’s disguise seemed to be holding up well.  The headband obscured half of his face, and he’d cut off his ponytail, much to her chagrin.  Between his youthful appearance and the lack of his red overcoat, he looked like any other Spiran equipped for traveling the roads on foot.

More often than not, though, the tranquil atmosphere of their hike was interrupted by the hum of machina moving up and down the roads.  Transports taxied guests to and from the Moonflow at regular intervals.  Unmanned machina donated by the Machine Faction patrolled the roads to keep them safe from fiends and guard the transports.  While the machina presence did add more security to their travels, the noise and the smell generated by the equipment felt out of place in the otherwise lush, wild forest setting. 

When they settled down off the road to make camp that evening, Auron cleared his throat, catching her attention.  “I thought you’d be happier to see machina use being so widely accepted throughout Spira.”

Rikku sat back on her heels, nodding.  “Well… it’s not like I don’t understand.  Gippal pushed them out to defend people from the fiends.  There’s less of them, see, but they’ve gotten stronger.”

He nodded.  “I noticed.  It’s because of the lack of active summoners.”

“You figured that too?”  She sighed.  “Almost nobody Sends the dead anymore.  So it’s understandable that people would turn to machina to protect themselves.  I appreciate that, but…”  She trailed off, feeling guilty.

Auron waited her out, his silence comfortable rather than intimidating.

“I miss the quiet,” she finally admitted.  “Ever since the Eternal Calm, people have gotten… louder.  Like we’re all collectively shouting to drown out our sad past.”  She raised her hands and shook her head.  “I mean, I don’t mind it!  But there was something beautiful in the quiet moments, too.” 

She looked up at the darkening sky, already peppered with the first stars, and thought of Bikanel.  Of Gippal, looking up to the sky, his face a study of conflicted fear and regret.  It might have been rotten for her to think it, but knowing that even the leader of the Machine Faction was facing the same doubts made her feel less alone. 

“I’m afraid that with all the shiny new toys we have now, we’re losing the parts of ourselves that knew how to be still.”  A self-depreciating laugh escaped her.  “You know, for a while there Yunie and I were fighting about it, too.  She thought Spira was moving forward a little too fast.  And she didn’t like the hot pants I’d made for her,” she giggle-snorted, before sobering.  “Yunie was always able to see things more clearly than the rest of us.  I didn’t notice any of this back then.  I was one of the people shouting the loudest, teaching everyone how to use machina whenever and wherever I could.”  

Auron settled by her side, catching one of her braids between his fingers and fondling it.  “You didn’t have eternity back then,” he answered.  “You, like the rest of Spira, were caught up in living for the moment.  Human lives are short, and people want to make the most of them.”

“So you think becoming an aeon gave me a new perspective?  Am I a different person now?” she asked, feeling uncomfortably self-aware.

He threw the question back on her.  “Has becoming an Unsent turned me into a different person?”

“No!  Of course not!” she answered without hesitation.

He sighed, giving her an inscrutable look.  “All that your new body has given you is the time to change your perspective.”  Twisting her braid deftly, he brought it to his lips.  “That’s part of what it means to grow.  As long as you don’t cling to the past and continue to look toward the future, you’ll remain true to yourself.  Human or aeon.”

Rikku turned the meaning of his words over in her head.  “Wait, so what about you –”

He laughed and shook his head, dropping her braid.  “I can’t become unstuck in time the way you are.  I can feel it.  The moment I stop standing still, the only direction I have left to grow towards is regret and malice.  There’s no upward momentum for my kind.”

A chill struck her.  “Your kind?  Don’t say it like that!”

Auron put his arm around her and drew her close.  “It’s the truth,” he said simply.

She pushed him off.  “It’s not my truth!”

He watched her with his lone eye, keeping his silence. Then he broke first, looking away from her with a sigh.  “Get some rest, Rikku.  We’ll reach the northern bank by tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

“It’s smaller than before.”

Auron stood on the shore of the north bank, looking out over the river.  The width of the Moonflow hadn’t changed, of course, but there certainly weren’t as many moonlilies growing out of the water as there had been in the past.  As a result, there were also less pyreflies drifting about than before.

“But still impressive!” Rikku nudged his arm.  They stood side by side, listening to the quiet hum of the pyreflies that flitted between the blooming flowers.  “If we get any closer to the docks, though, we won’t be able to hear the pyreflies anymore.”

“Why’s that?” Auron turned to face her.

“It’s way too crowded.  Since Yevon doesn’t sponsor the shoopuf service anymore, crossing became this sort of free-for-all.  The Machine Faction finally got permission to build machina transports, but it’s a big project.  It’s all still under construction.”

He looked back over the water.  “Docks?  And ferries?  What about the moonlilies?”

“People want to see the Farplane and Luca more than they want to see the flowers these days.”  She crouched down and reached out to brush one of the fragile plants rising from the water.  It bent under her touch, sending up a few pyreflies that drifted around her fingers.  Pursing her lips, she began to hum the Hymn.  A few more glided out of the surrounding lilies, crowding around her hand.  Soon, they were descending from the sky, coming up out of the water, and even floating through the forest behind them to dance over her outstretched arm.

“You’re calling them.”

Finishing the Hymn, she opened her hand and the pyreflies scattered, more densely concentrated than before.  “I wanted to see it looking a little more like it did in the past,” she admitted.  “It was an experiment.”

His hands dropped onto her shoulders, giving them a squeeze.  “A dangerous experiment if someone else saw you doing that.” 

“I know.”  She looked into his face; he was still staring out over the tranquil waters, watching the pyreflies waft through the air.  “But it was worth it, wasn’t it?”

“A pretty nostalgia.  But that’s all it is,” he observed.  Even now, the pyreflies were slowly beginning to dissipate.  “You can’t go back to the way things were.”

Standing, Rikku dusted off her skirt.  “There you go again.  Can’t you at least try to have a little fun today?”  They retreated away from the secluded outcrop on the bank of the river, pushing through a small bit of forest that would rejoin them with the main road.

Auron adjusted the band over his eye.  “It’s just nerves,” he admitted.  “This will be our first real test in public, won’t it?”

“Yeah.”  She groaned as she pulled a large scarf she’d bought in Guadosalam over her head and donned her goggles.  It wasn’t much of a disguise, but hopefully people would be too busy concentrating on securing their own passage to pay attention to yet another pair of travelers in the crowd.  “We’ll have to cross over to the south bank so I can use the CommSphere there.  I need to know what the damage is after our great escape out of Guadosalam.”

“We left towards the exit to the Thunder Planes.  Doubling back should have thrown most of those reporters off the scent,” Auron reassured her.

“We’ll see.  Information travels a lot faster nowadays than it used to, ever since Shinra set up the Comm system.”  Taking him by the arm, she grinned.  “You ready to face the world, Aaron?”

“No,” he grumbled, but let her lead him towards the crossing station.

The harbor was busier than ever before.  What had once been a glorified billboard with a lonely wooden bench was now a bustling transport gate.  The dirt road was significantly widened and paved over to make room for the wheeled carriages.  Machina could bus people down the road to Guadosalam much more quickly than a journey by foot.  It was still early in the day, at least, so there weren’t any significant lines snaking around the depots, but it was already obvious that the place would soon be filled with travelers.

“This… is a change,” Auron said, his head swiveling to take in the bustle of activity all around.

“Yeah, well, ever since the transports started up, visiting the Farplane has become a family event.  Babies, grannies, pets… almost anyone can reach Guadosalam without problems now.  The real bottleneck is the river.”  She pointed towards it as they moved in.

The ancient shoopuf station was mostly unchanged, though there were significantly more hypellos flitting about, loading and unloading passengers and cargo onto the large, patient shoopuf waiting by the lift.  Further down, however, more of the bank had been flattened to make room for some colorful wooden docks.  A few rowing rafts were tied at the edge, manned mostly by Guados in wetsuits, offering the shoopuf some competition.  And beyond even those, there were jumbled piles of machina and a swarm of Al Bhed sorting through them.  A few were hard at work on a large, half-built metal pier, while most of the others were assembling what looked to be a ferry.

“They aren’t done yet, but…”  Rikku sighed, looking at the shoopuf station.  “I can already tell they’re gonna put the other guys out of business.”  She took another, closer look at the size of the boat being built.  “I’m also not so sure that the hypellos living in the river are gonna be happy about that ferry.”  Thinking about the colony who’d welcomed her and Jecht into their community so long ago, she bit her lip.  With a start, she realized that it was very likely that none of the Al Bhed even knew of the hypello city below the river’s surface, and how much the increased traffic might disrupt them.  A sudden vision of Jecht rising out of the Moonflow in his full Final Aeon glory to smash the completed ferry to pieces rose unbidden in her mind.  Uhh… I better talk to Gippal about this!

“You’ve been making faces at that construction site for the past minute,” Auron observed.  “What’s on your mind?”

She tore her gaze away from the workers and met his eye.  “I could’ve stopped this.  Brokered some kind of understanding between all the competing factions here.  But I chose to stay out of it instead.  I pretended all the stuff going on outside of Besaid wasn’t my problem.  I shouldn’t have avoided Gippal for so long.”  She sighed.  “I was too scared of his feelings to face my own responsibilities.  This is as much my fault as it is his.”

Auron kept his silence, his expression tightening.  

“What?”

“I…”  He trailed off. 

“No, really, what?” She noted how he couldn’t meet her eyes.  Leaning in, she wriggled herself into a position where he couldn’t avoid seeing her.  “What’s on your mind, hmm?”   

He glared at her, conflicted.  Finally he sighed, capitulating to her prodding.  “Despite all of this, I’m glad you didn’t work with him.”  His mouth thinned and he forced the next words out with a pained look.  “Gippal’s a good man.”

So he was jealous.  Of the person he’d all but thrown her at, even.  She couldn’t stop the smirk that bubbled up; he caught sight of her face and rolled his eye.

“Don’t say it,” he warned her, though she couldn’t help herself from gloating just a little. 

Throwing her arms around his waist, Rikku giggled.  “There are lots of good men and women all over the place.  You know I don’t have to fall in love with every single one of them, right?”

Auron cleared his throat and looked away, embarrassed.

“Besides, I already nabbed one anyways.  You’re good enough for me!”  She reached under his armor to tickle his sides.

Laughing despite himself, he pushed her hands aside.  “You do realize you’re starting to sound as bad as Jecht with those puns.”  He looked down at her, amused.  “And what’s this?  Just ‘good enough?’”

The words were innocent, but he delivered them in that deep, rich baritone that could melt butter and made her knees go weak.  She could tell by the look in his eye that he knew exactly what he was doing – this was his revenge for her teasing.  “More than enough,” she amended.  “Now stop playing unfair with your vocal cords!”

“Hnnnnnnn,” he drawled, drawing out the syllable into a low rumble with a smirk.

“When will it be my turn?”  They jerked apart as a high, reedy voice interrupted their flirting.

Looking over her shoulder, Rikku spotted a young girl – she couldn’t have been more than sixteen – watching Auron while holding her brightly blushing cheeks.  Sitting on the bench next to her, a much older woman who was knitting was also appraising them with a shrewd stare.

“Honey, consider yourself lucky if you ever get a turn,” the older woman replied to her companion.  Despite the bored tone, her eyes were also trained on Auron and her cheeks were ruddy.

“Right… there are other people here,” Rikku whispered to Auron in a sotto voice.

He cleared his throat a few times, trying to regain his composure.  At least, she thought with a hint of amusement, their disguises were working.  No one was screaming, pointing, or asking either of them about the ‘Legendary Guardian’ or the ‘Al Bhed Princess.’  Still, Auron unwittingly drew attention to himself.  Though he might have looked to be in his late twenties, he carried himself with the poise and confidence of his actual forty-six years of experience.  Even with half of his face covered, he was garnering appreciative stares from people wandering through the harbor.  He was a large and handsome man in his prime, and she had shortened the coat’s sleeves a little too much, leaving a generous amount of his well-defined arms exposed to the public.

“Yeah,” the teenaged girl said, ogling Auron.  “I wonder if he’s a Guardian.”

Auron abruptly turned away from the women, looking down at her with a hint of panic. 

“Oh!  No no, it’s okay,” she whispered, waving him down.  “They’re talking about Paine’s company.  In fact, we can go with that.  I’ll call up Paine and let her know she assigned you to me for security.”

“And you’re sure your friend will go along with this deception?” he asked.

“Paine’s alright!  Don’t worry, she’ll have our back.  Now let’s get some tickets before it’s too late.”  Grabbing his arm, she led him towards the platform for the shoopuf.

There was already a crowd of people milling about, shopping for souvenirs and worrying about their schedules.  Hypellos were everywhere, selling merchandise of all things.  Snacks, fans, toys, even shirts embroidered with images of the shoopuf.  There was a particularly large assortment of paraphernalia for the newly-formed Hypello bliztball team.

She caught Auron staring at one of the displays.  “The Land Lubbers?” he asked her, confused.

“Yeah.  I think they were trying to say they really loved being a part of the community on land, not just in the water.  But you know, with their problems pronouncing basic Spiran, it came out like that…”  She shrugged.  “Well, people thought it was cute, so it caught on and stuck.  Speaking of which!” 

Stopping by one of the stalls, she found a particularly brightly-colored children’s blitzball decorated with a goggle-eyed cartoon shoopuf.  It was waving a Land Lubber team flag with its trunk.

“You can’t be serious,” Auron said as she passed some gil over to the dancing hypello behind the counter.

“I think Jecht’s gonna love it,” she protested, hugging the ball.  “Now let’s get some tickets!”

She hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d told Auron how crowded it would get; they were stuck in the crush of people trying to reach the south bank.

“It must be tournament season in Luca,” Rikku groaned as a particularly large Ronso behind them crushed Auron into her back.  He managed to grab onto her before she could accidently shove the Bevellian waiting in front of her and grunted in agreement.

Hypellos weren’t particularly speedy workers by nature, and the shoopuf had a limited passenger capacity.  By the time they were at the forefront of the queue, the charm of the port had worn off into a humid, irritable impatience shared by all of the travelers waiting for their turn.

“Why is it so busy?” Auron complained.

“Because even though there’s a lot more travelers, there’s still only one shoopuf,” she answered, letting out an audible sigh of relief as she stepped onto the lift.  The hypello let the two Ronso behind them on, then closed off the gate.  The platform shuddered and they lifted into the air.  A refreshing breeze blew past them, taking away the heat and smell of the crowds below as they approached the palanquin mounted on the shoopuf’s back.  “It’s kinda nostalgic, don’t you think?”

“I preferred things the way they were before,” Auron huffed, though some of the tension had eased off of his face.

When everyone had chosen a seat, the driver let out a trilling whistle.  The shoopuf lumbered towards the river, and they entered with a splash.  Comfortable silence descended as everyone relaxed, tensions easing the further they moved from the overcrowded harbor.  A cool breeze blew, whisking away the summer heat.  Gradually, chatter arose between the other passengers.

Rikku was content to remain quiet, simply drinking in the scenery and enjoying Auron’s presence at her side.  When the shoopuf reached the deepest part of the Moonflow, she sat up and leaned over the edge to watch the ruined city passing by.  Sunlight played across the water.  The sparkles that blinded her eyes reminded her of the silvery shine of the hypellos as they whirled in dizzying circles beneath the surface.

“A good memory?” Auron asked her with a knowing smile.

“Yeah… this is where J-  where we first met the hypellos.”  She bit her tongue before she could say Jecht’s name in front of the others.  There was a rustle, and Rikku saw the hypello driving the shoopuf leaning over, stretching to get a better look at them.

“Anyway!”  She shifted uncomfortably and pulled away from the edge to ease herself out of the driver’s scrutiny.  The yellow eyeball disappeared from sight and she exhaled in relief, sagging against the rails.  “This is so nice.”

The Ronso sitting next to her was staring. After a moment, she turned to her companion, her tail twitching, and tilted her chin at Rikku.  “That one.  Pollendina.”

Rikku froze as the other passengers turned and stared at her.  The one from Bevelle scooted away, a look of distaste on his face.  The two Lucan teenagers were whispering between themselves; one of them pulled out a recording sphere and casually tried to pretend that he wasn’t filming her, while his companion buried his hands into his face in mortification.  “Oh, here we go,” she grumbled, noting how Auron was glaring daggers at the man who’d sidled away.

“Have you got a problem?” he asked the other man lowly.

“What?  No, none at all,” the passenger coughed.  “You… you’re not with the Restoration, are you?”

“No!  I’m just on vacation!” Rikku protested, throwing up her hands.  “Really!”

The man relaxed marginally, but still didn’t return to his seat.

Satisfied, Auron’s head tilted towards the Lucans.  “I’ve heard it’s difficult to record with a broken sphere,” he said loudly to Rikku.  “And even harder with broken fingers.”

The Lucan boy blanched and quickly shut off the sphere, shoving it into his pack before pointedly directing his attention out to the water on the opposite side of the shoopuf.  “Sorry,” his companion called out, sounding terrified.

The two Ronso who’d identified her watched the show play out impassively, unintimidated.  Then the male peered at her.  “You with Machine Faction then?”

“Umm… well, yeah, I guess, sorta,” she hedged, edging closer to Auron.

“Hnn.  Machina bad,” he replied, crossing his arms and sniffing.  The female Ronso next to him stomped on his foot, and he let out a yelp.

“Ignore friend.  Rikku should enjoy vacation,” she offered.  “I am Vokja.  Rude one is Goran.  You go to watch tournament in Luca?”

Warming to the woman immediately, Rikku pushed up her goggles and smiled.  “Yeah, we thought it might be fun to check it out.  I’m rooting for the Aurochs,” she said out of a sense of home team loyalty rather than belief in their abilities, which had been flagging ever since Wakka and Tidus quit playing.

“Not the Psyches?” the Bevellian man sniffed in disbelief.  The glare he earned from Auron caused him to hunch his shoulders and pipe down.

“Ronso Fangs will take cup,” Vokja declared solemnly.

“Well, you know, I don’t really care who wins, as long as we all have fun,” Rikku admitted with a grin.

Sudden, hostile silence blanketed the palanquin as now everyone was staring again.

Right.  I’m stuck on a boat full of blitzball tourists.  Backtracking, she went for the neutral option.  “But if I was the betting type, I’d say the Land Lubbers are gonna be the champs this year!”

“Schmart girl!” the driver called down from his seat.

“Blitzball fans.”  The note of derision was clear in Auron’s voice as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the cushions.  Another stilted silence descended.  He’d spoken the quiet part in her head out loud, and was now directing challenging looks towards the other passengers.  The difference was that between his stature and his carelessly aggressive posturing, no one felt up to picking a fight with him.

“Anyway, we’re all really just here to enjoy ourselves.  So let’s do that, heh heh!  The fun won’t have itself, right?”  She turned back to face the water, burying her burning cheeks in her palms and wincing internally.  “I told you we should’ve just flown there,” she whispered to Auron, who shrugged back at her, still watching the other passengers like a hawk.

“I’m the one who wanted to see this, and walk this path again with my own feet.”  He broke away from his surveillance of the others to give her an apologetic look.  “I hadn’t realized how bad it was for you.”

“That makes two of us,” she murmured.  “Brother kinda tried to warn me, but well… I guess we both just had to see it for ourselves, right?”

“Umm…”  The cowed Lucan boy spoke up again.  “C-can we talk now?  Please?”

Auron turned back to him and opened his mouth.

“Be nice!” she hissed.  “They’re just kids!”

“Be our guests.”  He’d clearly amended whatever he’d been about to say to them, though the tone of his voice still conveyed that he’d be monitoring the subject matter.

Conversation was subdued after that, and Rikku let out a huff of relief when they finally reached the shore and disembarked.  When the lift touched the ground, Auron pulled her back and lingered until the other passengers dispersed.

“I hope that wasn’t too uncomfortable for you,” he said uneasily.

“It was totally awkward.  But not really because of you.  Thanks for sticking up for me.”  Tiptoeing, she planted a small kiss on his cheek.

“Mish Rikku?”  The hypello driver swayed before them, his bulbous eyes inspecting Auron’s face.  “You were both companions of Shir Jecht?”

Auron’s eye widened.  “No, actually, my name is—”

“Ahh, yesh!  Shir Auron!” the hypello crooned, pleased with himself.

Rikku glanced around, shushing the driver.  “Shh!  Don’t say that so loudly!” she whispered.  “How’d you know?”

The hypello blinked at them, his head bobbing from side to side.  “We pash down the stories.  Ze shoopuf is free for friends of Shir Jecht,” he added, fishing into his pocket for some coin.

Her hands shot out and caught the hypello’s wrists before he could pull out any money.  “Oh, don’t worry!  That’s okay!  Consider it a donation from us to keep the shoopuf running!  That’s what Sir Jecht would have wanted.”

“Thank yoo!  Tell Shir Jecht that he ish always welcome here!”  He stayed behind, continuing to wave at them as they left until he disappeared from their sight.

“You’ll have to tell me more about what Jecht is doing.  Why does he want us to find him a dog?”  Auron kept a watchful eye on the crowd as he spoke.  Thankfully, most people seemed intent on making their way to Luca as quickly as possible, competing for seats on the carriages that would take them to Djose.

“I’ll tell you later,” Rikku promised.  “First, we need to get to the CommSphere.” 

Getting there was easier said than done; Shinra installed the sphere near the edge of a bank that had since transformed into another carriage terminal.  Thankfully, the sphere was well-preserved and now enclosed in its own glass-walled cabin, secluded away from the noisy machina transports.  She entered the booth and Auron squeezed in behind her, curious to see the new technology.

“So how does this work?” he asked, leaning over her shoulder to study the sphere.

“You’ll see.”  Tapping her fingers rapidly against the controls, she entered the code for the Guardian base in Luca.  After a moment, it connected.

“Yo,” a lavender-haired man wearing a Guardian uniform and chewing on a toothpick answered after a moment.  “Guardians, Scherwiz speaking.  What can I do you for?”

“Uh, is Paine around?” she asked.

“You wanna speak to the boss?  Who are you, anyway?”  He leaned in, squinting at her.

“An old friend?”

The toothpick swiveled around the man’s mouth before his green eyes widened.  “Oh, shit.  You’re Rikku Pollendina, ain’t you?  Hang tight, I’ll go get her,” he muttered, springing out of his seat.  Static filled the air, and after a few moments, Paine settled in behind the comm, sporting her signature leather and no-nonsense grey coif.

“Rikku?”  Her red eyes narrowed and flicked upwards, appraising Auron.  “Who’s the guy?”

“This is Aaron,” she said, gesturing at Auron.  “Aaron, this is Paine.  She’s one of my best friends.  Say hello!”

“Hello,” Auron repeated, sizing Paine up just as methodically.  “Katana?” he asked after a moment.

A hint of a smug smile flickered over Paine’s face.  “Zweihander, actually.”

He grunted with respect.

“Ok, you two sword weirdos can stop bonding already,” Rikku cut in, scowling.  “See, I’m calling you about him.  I kinda need your help—”

“I figured,” Paine cut her off.  “You and Aaron have been splashed all over the papers lately.  You’re lucky the tournament’s starting soon.  Sports fans have short attention spans.”

“Eh heh heh,” Rikku laughed nervously.  “I was hoping that if anybody called you to ask if you knew him, you could tell them that he’s one of your Guardians.”

Auron twitched at the term but said nothing, watching Paine carefully.

“You mean like reporters?  Or Gippal?”  Paine glared at her.  “Because they already did.”

“What’d you tell them?” Rikku squeaked, sweat breaking out over her forehead.

“That he’s one of my Guardians,” she answered, smirking.  “I know you too well.”  Then she leaned in.  “Who is this guy, Rikku?  Can I trust him?”

Smiling, Rikku reached out and slid her hand over the one that was resting on her shoulder.  Paine’s eyes tracked her fingers as she interlaced them through his.  “You can.  He’s an old friend,” she said softly.

Auron’s hand tightened around hers.

Paine let out a low sigh.  “Fine.  You owe me, though.  Once all this Pollendina bullshit dies down, we’re going out for drinks and you’re going to tell me everything about him.”  She ran her eyes over Auron one more time, and the vicious smirk returned.  “Everything.”

Auron’s eyebrow lifted.  “Should I be scared?”

“Probably,” Rikku giggled.  “You’re a lifesaver, Paine.  Thank you so much!”

“Whatever,” she said.  “Call Gippal when you get a chance.  He wanted to talk to you.  He’s still with Brother on the Celsius.”

“You got it, boss!”  Rikku saluted.  “I’ll be in touch, okay?”

“You better,” Paine snapped, ending the connection.

Rikku leaned back and huffed in relief.  “That went better than I expected it to.”

Leaning over, Auron stroked his fingers through her hair.  “I like her.  She seems reliable.”

“You didn’t give her any advice when we were fighting Vegnagun, though,” she pointed out.

Chuckling, Auron withdrew his hand.  “She didn’t need it.”  He paused, looking at the sphere.  “Are you going to contact Gippal?”

Rikku blew out a raspberry.  “Yeah.  He’s not gonna be happy with us.  Well… let’s get it over with.”

She tapped in the code for the Celsius and waited for the connection to establish.  There was the buzz of static, and then a woman’s face flickered into view.

“Gullwings, at your service!” she chirped.  Then she blinked. “Oh wow!  Is that you, Rikku?”

Rikku did a double-take.  She barely recognized the Lucan smiling back at her.  The woman was gorgeous; long brown hair was pulled into a thick braid that looped over one shoulder, and her dark eyes slanted pleasantly with her broad smile.  She was wearing a pair of scuffed overalls over a tiny tube top, and one of the straps had fallen off of a shoulder to reveal a vast expanse of smooth, caramel skin.

“Calli?” Rikku choked out.  “Holy cow!  When did you turn into such a babe?!”

The girl on the other end of the sphere grid turned bright red.  “Ah, thanks, big sis!  I gave myself a makeover after doing Brother!  Umm… can I call you that, actually?”

Rikku grinned and pressed her face into the sphere.  “I dunno, can you?  Did you get Brother to finally cave?”

The red blush faded from Calli’s cheeks, and the girl turned her head away.  “Heh, well, about that… he’s still kind of holding the torch for Yuna, and you know how he is—”

“PUT HIM ON RIGHT NOW!” Rikku screeched, causing Auron to wince and lean back.

“O-okay, hang on,” Calli stuttered, looking over her shoulder and speaking to someone.  After a moment, Brother came into view.  He pushed Calli out of the way, shoving his face just as closely into the sphere camera.

“RIKKU!  YOU HAVE BEEN A BAD GIRL!  VERY BAD!” he screamed at her.

“Shut it!  What the hell are you doing?  Do you have beans in your eyes or something?!  Stop stalking Yunie already and look at the hottie standing right next to you!”

Brother scowled at her, leaning back from the frame.  “No!  No deflection!  It is all over the papers here!  You spent the night with a man in Guadosalam!  Who is he?”

Auron cleared his throat uncomfortably, and Brother’s gaze shot up towards him.  Then his face was back in the screen, spittle flying.

“YOU!  YOU ARE A DEAD MAN!”

Unable to help herself, Rikku let out a snort of laughter.

“You think this is funny?” Brother yelled at her.  “Nobody messes with my little sister!  Tell him to stay right there!  I am going to come over and give him a beating!”

“I can hear you,” Auron said dryly.

“Good!  You get busy and make your last will while you wait for me!”

There was a yelp, and then Brother’s face was forcibly yanked backwards.

“Rikku,” Gippal smiled as he maneuvered Brother, still fuming, away from the CommSphere.  “How’re you doing, babe?”

“Not your babe,” Rikku shot back.  “And not done yelling at Brother yet!  Don’t you dare seduce Calli, by the way.  She’s a good girl!”

Gippal leaned his chin on a palm, his eye focusing on Auron behind her.  “Unlike you, I hear.  Had yourself some fun in Guadosalam?”

Brother’s strangled cry carried clearly over the comm.

“Uh, well.  About that… we were just trying to get away from the reporters, you know?”

“Sure.  And you did so well in Macalania, too.  It was like you just vanished into thin air,” Gippal said archly.  “I guess you must’ve been a little more distracted in Guadosalam.”  His eye was trained on her now, and his poker face was on.

“Well,” she said nervously.  “About that.  I wanted to introduce you guys to my friend.  This is Aaron.  He’s gonna be traveling with me for a while, so I thought I’d tell you about him first.”

“Good try, but you missed the tabloids by about three days.”  He looked over Auron.  “Nice to meet you, Aaron.  Paine told me all about you.”  His half-smile was mocking.  “Looks like our girl has a thing for pirate-eyed Guardians.”

“Hmph.  I didn’t hear she was your girl,” Auron replied coolly.

Gippal spread his hands wide.  “Rikku’s everybody’s girl of the moment.” He turned his focus back to her.  “Now that Spira knows you’re back in action, you’re a hot topic.  Can’t be helped.”

“Look, I know I messed up.  I wasn’t expecting reporters in Guadosalam, okay?  I thought people would be a little more respectful near the Farplane!”

“You two spent the night at Leblanc’s love hotel and you’re talking about respect?”  Gippal started laughing, and she scowled at him.

“Stop being a jackass,” Auron bit out, glaring at him through the comm.  “Or do you have anything helpful to say to her?”

Gippal was now staring at Auron with a thoughtful look.  He tore his gaze away to nod at Rikku.  “Actually, I do.  Good that you called, Rikku.  I want you to stay close to Aaron for now.  When we got to Bevelle, we heard that Berrik wasn’t in Djose anymore.  He’s on the move.”

Brother’s face pushed back into the comm, much to Gippal’s annoyance.  “We ran a scan.  The Fahrenheit is still docked at Djose Temple.  No one knows where he went.”

Gippal shoved Brother back out of the screen and leaned in.  “I can tell you, if he went up north he was making himself real scarce.  No sign of that jerk anywhere near here.”

Feeling a slight chill, Rikku nodded.  “Thanks for the heads up.”  Then she paused.  “You’re not gonna ask me anything about Aaron?”

There was another off-camera squawk, but Gippal ignored it.  “Naw.”  His smirk returned.  “Got a feeling I can trust that one.”  He looked away from her for a moment, then sighed.  “Listen, Rikku.  Tell us if you need help.  With anything, okay?  I mean it.  We’re here for you this time.”

Touched, she smiled at him.  “Thanks.  Aren’t you up to your ears in your own problems right now though?  Are you and Brother gonna be okay?” 

“Stop worryin’ about us,” Gippal drawled.  “I got everything under control.  You just concentrate on not disappearing again.”

“Yessir,” Rikku said dutifully.  “And Gippal?”

“Yeah?”

She pointed her finger at the comm, scowling.  “Tell Calli she’s too good for my idiot of a brother.” 

“I HEARD THAT!”

Gippal raised a calculating eyebrow and cupped a hand over his mouth.  “You sure you don’t want me to flirt with her?” he whispered into the comm with a look of mischief.

She smirked back.  “Maybe just a little.  He’s a sphere hunter, he’s supposed to be able to spot treasure.  Try to peel his eyes open, will you?”

Dipping his head in a slight bow, Gippal’s grin widened.  “Happy to oblige.  See you later, Rikku.  Aaron.  Celsius out.”

There was a moment of silence in the small chamber, and then Rikku turned and looked up at Auron.  “Okay, so what was that all about?”

“Hmm?” he asked, pulling open the booth door.

She followed him out as he strolled away.  “You and Gippal!  Something’s up.  There’s no way he’d let me off so easy otherwise.  He’s as bad as Brother, just not as obnoxious about it.”  She took the lead from Auron and pulled him away from the main road, mindful of the other travelers making their way towards Luca.  Once they were far enough off of the beaten path to be surrounded by forest rather than people, she stopped and faced him.

“He may have recognized me,” Auron said casually, leaning against one of the larger tree trunks.

“Wait, what?  Seriously?!”

“Yes.  But he didn’t seem inclined to act on his suspicions.  I told you, he’s a good man.  He’s worried for your safety.”

She stopped her nervous sway and frowned.  “You think Berrik’s really gonna be a problem?”

“I hope not,” Auron sighed.  “I wanted to be done with Spiran politics this time around, but if both of your friends are this worried…”

“Gippal thinks he wants to kidnap me,” she blurted.  “Since he already tried to nab Brother once.”

Auron froze, then reached out and grabbed her by the arm.  “And you didn’t think to tell me this until now?”

Scratching her cheek, Rikku laughed nervously.  “Well, I’m pretty sure he wanted the Celsius more than my brother…”

Releasing her, Auron growled.  “I changed my mind.  Let’s use your powers to travel directly to Kilika…” He glanced upwards; it was still early in the afternoon and the sun was high in the sky.  “As soon as night falls.”  Pushing off of the tree, he turned towards the forest.  “We’re going off-road.”

Sighing, Rikku followed him into the underbrush.  They picked their way carefully through the tall grass and thick ferns to avoid leaving an obvious trail.  It wasn’t particularly difficult work, but conversation faded into a concentrated silence that didn’t lift until they found a small copse with a clearing underneath the trees just large enough to make camp until nightfall.

“This looks as good a place as any,” Auron declared, seating himself against one of the moss-covered stones jutting from the ground. 

“Well, we have a few hours to kill,” she agreed, settling beside Auron and pulling off her boots.  She wiggled her toes, digging them into the thick, fragrant moss that covered the ground.  “Whatcha wanna do?”

He sighed, thumping his head back against the rock.  “Why don’t you tell me what Jecht’s been up to?  I haven’t seen him since he left the Farplane.  Now out of the blue he sent you to find me and procure him an aeon puppy?”

“It’s Jecht.”

Auron narrowed his eye.  “This is stretching things even by his standards.  Elaborate.”

“Well, first of all, you’re not the only one.  He kinda went missing on all of us these past few years,” she replied.  “Didn’t even visit Tidus once since he’s been back.”

That brought a grunt of surprise out of Auron.  “Why not?”

“Why do you think?  He got caught up trying to save the world again.”  She launched into her story, telling him everything she’d found out about Jecht’s quest to regrow Macalania Forest and bring the animal spirits back. 

“He bit off more than he could chew again,” Auron groaned.  Then he let out a tired laugh.  “How is it that someone who never really was a human in the first place consistently manages to out-do the rest of us?”

“You know Tidus is just like him,” she replied.  “He even willingly gave up blitzing to be with Yunie.  I think it’s just in their nature.  Like they were summoned as the best versions of what the rest of us could be.”  She paused, leaning her head back to stare at Auron.  “But you know, you’re not so bad yourself.”

He chuckled dryly.  “I’m not nearly as human as you seem to think.  This body is just a facsimile of the real thing.  One day it will fail, and then my true nature will be exposed to all.”

“You could be like Maechen,” she said, annoyed at his descent into morbid pessimism.  “It’s not a foregone conclusion that you’re going to go mad and turn into a fiend.”

He wrapped his arms around her and shook his head.  “You are the one in constant denial.  I can’t see any other way.  What I covet is the life in Besaid that we’ll never be able to have.  An ordinary, human life.  No more fighting.  No more politics.  No more parleying with the supernatural or the undead.”

“I think we lost that chance before it even started,” Rikku said, thinking of her own tumble into the Farplane.  “When I got sent into the past, I would have died then and there without Braska to catch my soul.  But still… I don’t think that means we should avoid Besaid completely.  You’re just as much of a dad to Yunie and Tidus as Braska and Jecht were.  Don’t you think it’s time you let them see you again?”

“Let them watch me become a fiend before their very eyes as I lament the family I will never have?”  Auron shook his head.  “It’s too much right now.  We should focus on helping Jecht first.  As idiotic as his mission may be.”

Something about the tired derision in his voice made her twitch.  “Hey.  It only sounds dumb because we don’t understand the way his mind works.  If we did… we’d have tried to save Macalania Forest too, don’t you think?”  She nestled against him, humming.  “The spirits are coming back, you know.  And they’ve chosen him, just like the hypellos did.  Maybe he sees something the rest of us don’t.”

Auron blew out a heavy sigh over her head.  “You’re right.  I’m being unfair.”  He laughed.  “Besides.  This foolish task brought us together again.  I hadn’t realized I was lonely until you reminded me.”  He rested his chin against the top of her head.  “Fine.  I can stop grappling with the nature of my existence long enough to bring back this creature Jecht so desperately wants.  So you can search for your answers about our future later, Rikku.  For now, let’s just live in the moment.”

Her heart beat loudly in her chest.  It was the closest he’d come to expressing optimism since they’d reunited.  He was finally beginning to consider the possibility of being happy, even if it was just a small crack in his heavy armor of melancholy.

“Yeah,” she agreed.  After all, she was a thief.  A crack was all she needed to open any door.

Chapter Text

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.

Chapter Text

“… so I figure we can set out for Besaid by tonight.  I think I can get in touch with Tidus and—”  Rikku’s chatter died out as she and Auron approached the stairs leading back towards the jungle.  Waiting for them on the stone dais below was a lone man in an unmistakable yellow jumpsuit.  She stopped, tensing. 

“Howdy, Rikku.”  Cid looked up at them, his eyes lingering on Auron.  “Who’s your new friend?”

“Hey yourself, Pops,” she answered cautiously.  “You tell me first.  What’re you doing here?”

“Can’t a man wanna visit his own flesh and blood anymore?” he grumbled, crossing his arms.  “I don’t get why you and your brother are always giving me all this lip.”

She started down the stairs; Auron trailed silently after her.   “We wouldn’t be giving you ‘all this lip’ if you wouldn’t keep making dumb life decisions.”

“There ya go again,” he huffed.  He did take a long look at her, before gruffly clearing his throat.  “Been a while since I last saw you.  You look good, kiddo.”

“And you look the same as ever,” she answered, still wary.  “Look, why are you here trying to make nice with me?  I thought you threw your chips in with Berrik.”  Some of her initial surprise was fading back into annoyance.  “You just couldn’t resist godhood, could you?”

Cid groaned, slapping his forehead.  “Berrik told you that, did he?  Look, it’s not like I believe any of that claptrap—”

“Sure looks like you do from here!” she shot back.  “Here being the rest of Spira, Pops!”

Face contorting, Cid whirled on her.  “You should show a little gratitude, girl!  Berrik is the best thing to happen to us since we unearthed the Fahrenheit.  Kids these days, you don’t know the value of anything, do ya?”

Auron twitched beside her.  “Pray tell.  What value is there in burdening Spira with yet another false religion?”

Glaring at Auron, Cid huffed.  “Look, you don’t gotta take it that seriously.  All we’re asking you to do is play a part –”

“It’s lying, father!”  Rikku clenched her fists, vibrating with fury.  “Lying to prop ourselves up, just like the Church of Yevon used to!  When did you get so greedy?”

Cid snorted, his stance widening into what she recognized as his stubborn machina mode.  She noticed his nostrils flaring and blotchy streaks of red climbing up his neck.

Oh boy, this is gonna be messy.

“This isn’t greed!  This is payback!  Why can’t you see that?” 

“Payback?  For what?  The destruction of Home?”  Rikku scoffed.  “You’re the one who blew it up!”

Cid’s mouth opened and closed, the red spreading across his cheeks in mottled patches.  “That wasn’t a choice!”  His chin trembled as he tried to control himself.

She felt a pang of guilt.  It was obvious Cid was still hurting at the loss of Home even a decade after the fact.  It wasn’t just the Al Bhed’s defeat or the loss of life, or even the destruction of the place that he’d personally worked so hard to build.  She knew what haunted him more than any of that – it was the loss of his favorite son.

“Berrik isn’t Keyakku, Pops.  Not by a long shot.”

Her words gave him something to latch onto and direct his anger towards.  “Why won’t you even give him a chance?  At least he’s doin’ something—!”

Whatever sympathy she’d been feeling evaporated at his outraged shout.  “So is Gippal!” she yelled.  “When did you lose your faith in us?  In the Al Bhed spirit?”

Cid turned away from her.  “What us?  You ran away to Besaid and left the rest of us to rust,” he growled, and she flushed because it was true.  “Besides, Gippal never treated you right.  A man like that ain’t worthy of my only daughter.”

Auron shifted beside her.  She put her hand on his arm to keep him from doing something he’d regret later, working to tamp down on her own burgeoning anger. 

“And Berrik is?  I’m not some prize chocobo you can raffle off to the highest bidder!”

Cid sighed and rubbed his forehead.  “I didn’t mean it like that.  You don’t understand.  If you hitch your wagon to Berrik, it’ll be smooth sailin’ from here on out.  Making a new Home won’t be a dream anymore!  Nobody will ever look down on the Al Bhed again.”

Surprisingly, it wasn’t fury that overtook her, or even disgust.  Instead, Rikku was struck breathless by the dull ache that filled her chest.  Beyond the disappointment lay a sadness that she was unable to rationalize away no matter how much her mind tried.  Despite how little they understood one another, Cid was still her father.  Overwhelmed, she couldn’t bring herself to stop Auron’s sharp retort. 

“Yes.  You and Berrik will make sure of that, won’t you?  By force if necessary.” 

Cid scowled at Auron.  “If you wanna make an omelet, sometimes you gotta break a few eggs.  And those ‘eggs’ broke our nest first anyhow.  Karma’s a bitch, ain’t it?”

His eye narrowed.  “Pig-headed fool.  You’re destroying more than just your own family with your choices.  You already lost Raenn once before.  Now you want to sacrifice your own daughter for that ego, too?”

Jowl quivering, Cid pointed at Auron, jabbing his finger into the other man’s chest repeatedly.  “Don’t you talk like you know anything, boy!  Where do you get the nerve, mouthin’ off about me and my kin?”

“I know Rikku better than you ever have.”  Auron’s voice was deceptively emotionless.

Unable to discern the slow boil beneath Auron’s reticence, Cid went apoplectic with outrage.  “Rikku!  Are you tellin’ me you chose this asshole over a good man like Berrik?  What the hell are you doin’ with your life?  You could be with us, making something great!  Putting the Al Bhed back on Spira’s map!  Giving us our rightful place in history!  Instead, you’re wastin’ time with this good for nothing punk—”

Something snapped inside of her.  “No,” she growled, slapping his hand away from Auron’s chest.  “You don’t get to talk about him like that!  You’re the one who doesn’t know anything!”

Cid turned on her, eyes flashing.  “Why?  You think you’re in love again?” he sneered.  “You should know better than anyone that it ain’t real.  Weren’t you in love with Gippal first?  And then you had that fool’s crush on Auron, too.”  He barked out a sharp, cynical laugh.  “Look how well all that love worked out for you in the end.  You gotta stop chasing after pipe dreams and settle for a good dose of reality, kiddo.  Nobody gets a happy ending in Spira unless they write it for themselves.  Berrik and I are just tryin’ to hand you the script.”

“That’s not for you to decide,” Auron cut in brusquely, his eye tightening.  “Only Rikku can choose how she wants her story to end.  Step back.”  He didn’t need to add the ‘or I’ll make you’ that hung in the air between them. 

Rikku caught herself staring at Auron.  What Cid was saying was infuriating, naturally, but Auron’s impassioned defense caught her off guard.  She didn’t expect him of all people to argue against Cid’s brand of romantic nihilism.

“Boy, you better shut that mouth of yours before I smack the fresh right outta you,” Cid warned, glaring daggers at Auron.  “Tell me your name so they know what to put on your gravestone.”

And then, to her shock, Auron reached up and ripped the headband away from his scarred eye.  He took a step closer to Cid and leaned over him, his gaze dangerous.  “You already know my name.”

Time seemed to slow to a standstill as the color drained out of Cid’s face.  He took one shaky step back, and then another.  “Auron?!”

Rikku finally managed to find her voice again.  “What are you doing?” she squeaked.

“Something I should have from the start,” Auron growled, pinning Cid under his glare.  “For a moment, I really believed you’d changed.  But I was mistaken.  You’re still the same small-minded bigot as before.”

Belatedly, Rikku realized that Auron had already known Cid even before she was born.  That he’d been sent with Braska to assassinate him.  There was no way her father wouldn’t have recognized Auron’s face, no matter how young he looked.

“I was too inexperienced to stop you when you ruined Braska’s life.  I won’t stand by idly while you try to do the same to Rikku.”  His eye narrowed.  “You’re lucky you’re her father.  But my generosity only extends so far.  Keep talking if you want to test it.”

Cid took another step back, stumbling over his own feet and falling to the ground.  Even then, he didn’t stop trying to put distance between himself and Auron.  “You… you should be dead!”  He turned and looked at Rikku, his green eyes wide with shock and fear.  “This happened when you fell into the Farplane, didn’t it?”  He focused on Auron again.  “You didn’t come back alone.”

“It’s not a fool’s crush.”

Cid finally tore his eyes away from Auron to look at her.  “What?”

She clenched her hands into fists.  “We’re in love.”  She moved closer to Auron’s side, leaning against him.  He reached out and clasped her hand in his own.

Cid stared at them for a long moment, before dropping his head into his hands.  “Oh, baby.  This is my fault, ain’t it.  Leavin’ you alone for so long.”  A sob escaped him.  “How’d it come to this?  You know that ain’t the real Auron.  He’s dead, and you’re in love with that… thing.”  He struggled to his feet slowly.  “Rikku, can’t you see? He’s just a shadow.”

His words ended in a gurgle as Auron reached out and grabbed the collar of Cid’s jumpsuit with his free hand.  He hefted the other man into the air with ease, letting Cid’s feet dangle over the ground.  “Then maybe it’s time you learned to fear the darkness.”

Something in Auron’s voice sent a thread of apprehension through her.  “Auron,” she warned, but he ignored her even when she squeezed his hand tightly.  His face was twisted into an ugly grimace, hinting at a deeper-running darkness within him.  With a flash, she recognized it: the same fiendish energy that had leaked from him when he lost control in the Farplane.  She reached out and wrapped her hand around his other wrist, the one holding Cid aloft.  “Auron, put him down.”

For several tense moments, he didn’t move.  Then, slowly, he lowered Cid to the ground, turning to face her.  “Are you sure?”

She tightened her grip.  “Let him go.  Let this go for your sake.  I need to talk to my father anyway, so don’t waste your energy on this.”  Please, listen.  She looked into his eye, hoping he’d understand.

He released Cid with a grunt, stepping back, and she relaxed minutely.  There was still one large problem to deal with, though.  He was currently doubled over, coughing and clutching his throat where Auron had grabbed him.

“Don’t you dare judge me,” she told Cid, putting herself between him and Auron.  “You weren’t there!”  She winced; the tears in her father’s eyes were genuine, even if the sentiment fueling them made her recoil.  If she was being honest with herself, his reaction was understandable – the Unsent were even more universally reviled than the Al Bhed had ever been, and Auron had just nearly proven why.

But Auron had made his entire un-life out of breaking the rules, and she wasn’t exactly normal anymore either.

“Rikku,” Cid wheezed.  “I am your father!  You can’t ask me to ignore this.  Despite everything you think about me, I only want what’s best for you.  You’re gonna get hurt if you keep on like this!  Come with me.  Come home.”

She shook her head, feeling her own eyes start to burn from unshed tears.  “You might be my father… but Keyakku and Brother are the only ones who’ve ever really been my family.  You don’t get to start caring now, when it’s convenient for you.”

Cid flinched when she said Keyakku’s name aloud.  And then his face darkened.  “Don’t bring your brothers into this!”

“Brothers?  Or Brother?  And why shouldn’t I?  You’re the one who did it first!”

Whatever Cid had been about to shout fell away into surprise.  “Huh?  What the hell are you talking about?”

That burning sensation was back, spreading down to her chest.  She pushed it away, unwilling to cry in front of Cid.  “He’s not an idiot!  You think he doesn’t know what you’re really doing?  Using Berrik as a replacement for Keyakku?  You’re the one who’s stuck in the past, chasing after ghosts!”

Cid’s mouth flapped a few times.  He threw his arms up, shaking his head.  “Look, I gave Brother a chance!  I was even foolish enough to believe he’d stick around.  But you know what that ungrateful punk did?  He ran!  Ran away from his responsibilities, just like he always has!”

Anger overtook her; it was easier to find her words when Cid was badmouthing the people she loved, rather than herself directly.  “Brother’s always tried to be what you wanted him to be!”  She grit her teeth.  “He even let Berrik take him and put the rest of the Gullwings in danger just to make you happy.  But you couldn’t even give him that, could you?”  The hot, angry tears welled up and spilled over, despite her best attempts to keep them at bay.  “Nothing he does will ever be good enough for you.”

Cid crossed his arms, turning away from her tears.  “That’s because your brother is my life’s greatest disappointment.  Even you managed to make somethin’ of yourself.”  He glanced over her shoulder at Auron.  “Whether or not I agree with what you done don’t change that you did it.  But what’s your brother got to show after all this time?  A fancy airship and a handful of blitzball contracts in Luca!  How’s a bum like that supposed to become the leader of our people?”

“He never wanted to be the leader of our people, you old geezer!” she exploded.  “The only thing he ever wanted to be was your son!”

Cid scowled.  “What’re you talkin’ about?  He’s always been my son.  We’re blood, we can’t change that.  Much as we might want to.”

She shook her head, her anger draining away into tired resignation.  “You’re the one who’s deluding yourself.  Brother’s a better person than you’ll ever be.  I only hope he sees that one day, and can let you go.  The way I am.”  It was the lack of passion in her voice that finally made Cid face her.

“You really believe that, don’t you?”

“Yeah.”  The smile she managed for him was worn.  “I know I’m probably not the one who should be saying this, but… some things you can’t bring back.  Not Keyakku, not Home, and definitely not the idea that our family was ever great.” 

Cid watched her, looking more and more like a lost and confused old man with each word.  She pressed on, knowing that if he didn’t hear the truth from her, he’d likely never hear it at all ever again.

“Al Bhed are great because we’re hard workers.  Because we stuck together, even when the rest of the world was against us.”  She thought about how it cut both ways, how that fierce loyalty had burned her during Braska and Yuna’s Pilgrimages.  “Most of all, we’re honest with ourselves.  We’re not perfect, but we keep on trying.  And when we make mistakes, we fix them.  That’s why the people love Gippal now.  Because he’s just as human as the rest of us.  He’s not some deity leading us into a future we didn’t make for ourselves.  You can’t replace that with a fantasy.  You and Berrik are robbing us of the one thing that makes us who we are.” 

She let out a long breath.  “I won’t be a part of your lie.  And if you had any integrity left, you wouldn’t let yourself be, either.”

“Rikku…”  Cid reached for her, and she stepped away from his outstretched arm.  “I just want what’s best for our people.”

“Are you sure?  Or do you want what’s best for your pride?”  She took another step back, bumping against Auron’s solid, comforting presence.  “You should stop this.  Leave Berrik’s faction.  Sometimes you gotta let go of the past to make way for the future.”

Cid dropped his hand and turned away, his shoulders drooping.  When he spoke, he was nearly inaudible.  “I can’t stop, Rikku.  What do I got left if I stop now?”

“You’d have us,” she answered, just as quietly.  But he didn’t turn around, and the last flicker of hope in her heart sputtered out.

Auron’s hands landed on her shoulders, grounding her.  “Keep telling yourself that your castle of sand was worth it,” he said to Cid.  Then he tugged her gently, pulling her away. 

Turning, she peered at his face; he’d lost all traces of the inhuman anger that had overtaken him, and instead was watching her just as closely, obviously concerned. 

“Let’s go.  There’s nothing left for you here.”

“Yeah.”  Exhaustion overtook her; she felt as tired as when she’d climbed the Iutycr Tower, and just as emotionally wrung out.  Even with Auron shepherding her down the steps, she couldn’t help but look back over her shoulder.

Cid still stood with his back to her, staring out over the jungle as though he were one of the statues lining the path.

“Goodbye, Pops.”

.x.x.x.

They didn’t bother returning to Kilika; between the time spent in the Temple and the confrontation with Cid, nightfall was fast approaching.  Sensing her melancholy, Auron didn’t press her to conversation and she was grateful for it.  Cutting her ties with Cid felt like giving herself a raw, gaping wound; she didn’t even want to think about what he might do with the knowledge that Auron had returned.  Focusing on Yuna’s safety was a welcome distraction from her own dysfunctional family dynamics, so they set out for Besaid as soon as the cover of night could mask their journey.

Her uneasiness remained the closer they drew to Besaid; her scans showed that the Pollendina was nowhere near the coastline, but she couldn’t bring herself to believe Berrik would give up so easily just because she’d asked him nicely.

They landed on an abandoned beach on the far side of the island well before the sun rose; as she shed Eden’s form, she wasn’t surprised to see Tidus waiting for them.

“I had a feeling,” he said before she could greet him.  His attention was fully on Auron, who hadn’t bothered to re-don his headdress.  He crossed his arms, his tone guarded.  “Auron.”

Auron stopped a few paces away from Tidus.  “Tidus.”  He spent a moment taking in the blond’s older, more rugged appearance.  “You’ve done well.”

The tension between the two dropped abruptly as Tidus put his hands on his hips and shook his head in disbelief, barking out a laugh.  “This is freaking me out.  You look like you’re the same age as me now!”

Rikku joined Auron at his side, giggling and bumping him with her shoulder.  “Relax.  Tidus still loves you too,” she whispered to him.  Something caught in her throat as she thought of her own father, but she shoved her feelings away, facing Tidus instead.  “To be fair, you’re still younger than him.  Isn’t your real body stuck at 17?  Even I’m older than you now.”

“Ugh, don’t try to bend my mind around the concept of aging,” he complained.  “It’s hard enough trying to figure out what I should look like every year.”  He looked at Auron again, noticing how stiffly the other was holding himself.  “Hey, lighten up man.  I missed you.”  It was the only warning he gave before he threw himself into a hug with Auron, who staggered back in surprise.

It took a few moments before Auron’s arms came up to return the gesture.  “You really are Jecht’s son,” he said fondly.

Tidus pushed him off, swiping at his eyes while sniffling.  “Look, if you’re just gonna insult me –”

“It’s a compliment.  I missed you as well.”

Tidus’s smile hitched.  “All right.  What’s with all this touchy feely stuff?  It’s not like you.”

Auron glanced at Rikku, then back at Tidus.  “You could say… I was reminded recently.  Of how important family is.”  Reaching up, he ruffled Tidus’s hair.  “I should have told you sooner.  I’m proud of you.”

Tidus gaped dazedly, before he turned away.  He paced along the beach with his hands on his head, conspicuously not facing them.

“Aww, Auron!  You made him cry!”

That got Tidus to whirl around.  “I’m not crying!  I got some sand in my eye!”  The runny nose that he swiped at as he spoke gave him away, and Auron chuckled.

“Right.  Get ahold of yourself.  We need to speak to Yuna.”  He paused.  “But do we have a plan?”  He looked down at himself, distinctly uncomfortable.

“I think we just go for it,” Rikku said.  “I’ve been keeping so much to myself all this time.  I think I don’t want to lie to my family anymore.  Not about you, at least.”  The words surprised her as they came out of her mouth; she hadn’t realized she was going to say them.

Neither had Tidus, apparently.  “You think of us as your family?”  His smile was growing wider by the second; she’d forgotten how much Tidus longed for one after losing both of his parents.  “Even Lulu and Wakka?”

Blushing, she nodded shyly.  “Yeah.  I guess I never really said it before, but everyone here – and even Kimahri! – is just as much my family as Brother is.” 

And they’re more family to me than Cid ever was.  Thinking it still hurt, but realizing she could choose to belong somewhere else eased the sting in her chest.

“Right on!” Tidus cheered, running towards them and scooping both her and Auron into another exuberant hug.  Auron grunted in protest and Tidus released them quickly.  But not without his typical brand of running commentary. 

“So, like… does that mean my cousin is dating my dad?”

Auron glared.  “Hmph.  Don’t listen to him,” he grumbled to Rikku.  “He was hit in the head once too often with a blitzball as a child.”

Tidus sulked.  “Hey!  I was training!  And I’m right, aren’t I?  Any way I look at it, you guys being together is weird!”

Rikku crossed her arms and sniffed.  “That’s rich, coming from someone who was literally born in the ocean less than ten years ago.  That makes Yunie twenty years older than you!”  She smirked and hit him in the ribs with her elbow.  “I guess it runs in the family, huh?”

Auron ignored them, moving towards the jungle.  “If you two are done competing for the most scandalous age gap, I would like to see my surrogate daughter now.”

Trading a look with Tidus, Rikku rolled her eyes and giggled. 

“Spoilsport,” Tidus muttered under his breath.

“Not so old that I didn’t hear that,” Auron shot back without looking over his shoulder.

Rikku trailed after them both, a grin on her face.  “Hey,” she called out to Auron.  “You do realize Yunie is older than you are now, right?”

Auron didn’t bother answering her, though she savored the way he tripped and stumbled at her words.  Tidus started laughing.

It’s good to be home.

.x.x.x.

Lulu’s eye twitched as she stared at Auron.  Rikku wasn’t sure how she managed it, but somehow she looked fiercely intimidating even though she was holding Chappu in her arms.  Actually, it wasn’t much different from when she was holding her voodoo dolls.  For a moment Rikku had a wild mental image of Lulu putting baby Chappu down and having the boy crawl towards Auron to slap him in the shin, instantly petrifying him.

Standing in the middle of Wakka and Lulu’s hut, Auron was doing a pretty good job of being petrified even without the extra help.

“Sooo,” Tidus began, laughing nervously.  “Rikku’s back, and she brought an old friend.  We thought it’d be better to tell you guys first before we visited Yuna.”

“For a Sending?” Lulu asked delicately, and Rikku noticed Auron’s nearly imperceptible wince.

“No, not for a Sending,” she cut in.  “Aaron’s been traveling with me ever since Guadosalam.  He’s not going anywhere without me.”  She crossed her arms and tried to copy Lulu’s dangerous aura.  Her eyes were watering from not blinking enough, though.

“Yo, is this some kinda joke?”  Wakka scratched his head.  “You sure you aren’t Auron’s long lost nephew or somethin’?”

That got Auron to move.  He turned his head, squinting at Wakka.  “Of course.  We don’t just share our looks, but also our injuries.  It’s uncanny.”  The sarcasm in his voice could have curdled milk.

“Oh geez, that’s Auron alright.”  Wakka cringed.  “Rikku, explain it to me so I can understand.  How’d Auron get back here?  An’ why’s he look like that?”

“Eh heh-heh,” Rikku said, fidgeting.  I really should have come up with a plan instead of just winging it.  “See, the thing is…”  She opened and closed her mouth several times, considering where to start.

Unfortunately, Lulu and even Wakka were displaying unusual patience, willing to wait while they stared at Auron in disbelief.  Chappu’s happy gurgles filled the otherwise-silent hut.

Auron finally broke the stalemate with a sigh.  “I was twenty-six years old at the end of Braska’s Pilgrimage.  Rikku convinced me to return to Spira.  With the destruction of the Church of Yevon, my guilt has been assuaged enough to return to a state closer to my actual age at the time of my death.”

“So you really came back even after being Sent,” Lulu said, her tone clipped.

“Wow.  So that means you’re still dead, ya?”  Wakka always was a step behind.

Drooping, Rikku nodded at him.   “Well, you know that year I spent on the Farplane?”  She scratched her cheek.  “So I don’t really have amnesia about it.  I was kind of, um… hanging out there.  With Auron.  And his friends.”

“There’re more of them?!” Wakka yelled.  He hunched his shoulders, wilting under Lulu’s death glare when Chappu hiccupped and let out an unhappy shriek at the noise.

“I presume you mean Sir Jecht.  And Lord Braska, too?”  Lulu’s eyebrow rose even higher at Rikku’s hesitant bob of assent.  She then turned her glare onto Tidus, who jerked to attention.  “So this is why you two were thick as thieves all this time.”  She let Tidus sweat for a few moments, before turning the full force of her regard onto Rikku.  “Tell me, how many Unsent did you bring back with you?”

“Technically?  Only one,” Rikku hedged.

“Technically!  One’s more than enough, ya?!” Wakka shout-whispered.  “No offense, Auron.”

“None taken,” Auron muttered, obviously offended.

“Don’t tell me you brought back Sir Jecht and Lord Braska, too?” Lulu asked, watching Rikku’s face.

“Yeah, about that…”  She laughed nervously.  “So you know all that weirdness going on in Macalania?”

“No.  Don’t tell me.  I don’t think I wanna know,” Wakka groaned, slapping a hand over his forehead.  He looked down at his wife.  “Lu?”

“I’m not sure,” she murmured.  “Rikku… you must know what you’re doing is dangerous.  But…”  Her eyes flicked back to Auron.  “It really is you, isn’t it, Auron?”

He inclined his head minutely.  “Yes.  I hope you will trust me when I say I mean you no harm.  I came here at Rikku’s request, and have no intentions of hurting anyone.”

That seemed to take both Wakka and Lulu by surprise.

“What?” he asked, looking bemused by their reactions.

“We never meant to imply that we thought you might attack someone in Besaid,” Lulu said, her glare finally softening.

“You’re Sir Auron, ya?  We all know you’re a good man, brudda!  We’ve seen it for ourselves already!”  Wakka grinned, punching Auron in the shoulder.  Apparently, looking older than Auron did a lot for his confidence.  Or, Rikku thought to herself, maybe it was just because Wakka was a father now.  He’d managed to find depths within himself that no-one had believed possible before.  “Naw, you don’t got nothin’ to prove to the rest of us.”

Lulu sighed and smiled at Auron.  “Wakka’s right.  Apart from that, Rikku and Tidus are vouching for you now.  Personally, I’m more concerned about your permanence in our lives.  Rikku has been a bit… lost, of late.”  She looked at Rikku pointedly.  “It’s not us I worry about you hurting.”

“Believe me.  I share your concerns,” Auron admitted readily.  “Rikku can be very insistent.”

Lulu tilted her head.  “From looks alone, you two make a handsome pair.  But the truth is that you’re much older than her, Auron.  And Rikku has been infatuated with you since she was fifteen.”  Chappu sputtered and grabbed at one of her braids, and Lulu rocked the baby in her arms, taking a moment to shush him.  When she looked back up, her gentle smile faded.  “You were a hero, a guide and a mentor to all of us during Yuna’s Pilgrimage.  You used that authority to realize your own selfish goals.  Fortunately for you, those goals ended up saving Yuna’s life.”

Her tone turned frosty.  “I’m not unaware of the way you manipulated us back then.  You’re no longer our guide, nor our mentor.  Don’t make the mistake of trying to fill that role for Rikku.”  Her soft, raspy voice was at odds with the intensity of the threat she laced through her words.  “Step very carefully, Auron.  She’s trusting you with her heart.  Even the best of your intentions can pave the road to Rikku’s personal hell.  If you break her, you’ll do more than just regret your return.  I’ll make you redefine the meaning of that word.”

Auron met Lulu’s gaze squarely, and the tension in the hut ratcheted skywards as they faced off.  Nobody moved.  The bead of sweat forming on Rikku’s forehead itched intensely.  Finally Auron blinked first, dropping his head into a minute nod of acknowledgement.  “I understand.”

“Woah,” Tidus whispered loudly into the ensuing silence, breaking the spell.  “Brutal.”

Lulu rolled her eyes and returned to fussing over Chappu while Wakka beamed from ear to ear, proud as could be.  “That’s my wife, ya?  I can’t believe you just did a number on Sir Auron, Lu.”

“Please.  I only said what he needed to hear.  Besides, I’m used to dealing with unruly boys.”  She flicked her eyes towards Rikku.  “I’ll talk to you later.”

Rikku swallowed.  “Yeah, so maybe we should see Yunie now!”

“Put that ridiculous disguise back on him first,” Lulu said.  “This is a very small village.  There’s no need to make a spectacle of yourselves just yet.”

Auron was already re-wrapping his eye, pointedly not looking at any of them.

Wakka, unable to read Auron’s mood, blithely interrupted him.  “I gotta go find Dina.  Don’t tell him who you really are, okay?  I raised my boy on all sorts of stories about you.  I mean, the older you.  Or, uh, the younger you too?  Sheesh, this is all so confusing.”

 “My lips are sealed,” Auron said drily.

“Great!  Good to have you back,” Wakka said, clapping Auron on the shoulder.  “You too, Rikku.  Welcome home!”

Lulu’s fierce defense and Wakka’s easy acceptance washed away the last of her reservations about returning to Besaid.  They really are my family, she thought, waving to Wakka as he exited the hut.

“So… you guys ready?” Tidus asked.

Taking a deep breath, Rikku nodded.  Putting themselves in front of Lulu had been nerve-wracking.  The apprehension she felt at meeting Yuna, however, was entirely different.  Her stomach fluttered as Tidus led them to the hut he shared with Yuna.  He pushed the curtain back and beckoned them both inside.

Ducking in, Rikku let her eyes wander over Yuna’s home.  It hadn’t changed much since the last time she’d seen it – colorful cloths and tapestries decorated the walls.  In one corner, hanging on a banner, was the symbol of Yevon.  Despite everything that had happened, Yuna still wasn’t willing to dispose of it.  “I can’t let it go.  He’s the reason I’m here today,” was all she would say whenever Rikku tried to convince her to tear it down.  Auron spotted the symbol immediately, his mouth twitching into a frown.

Yuna was seated at a low table in the center of the room.  She looked up when they came in, her smile reserved.  “Hello Rikku,” she said quietly.  Her eyes flitted first over Auron, and then lingered on Tidus, who was suspiciously silent.

“Yuna,” he said after a moment, moving to her side and seating himself.  “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head, looking at Auron again.  “Rikku.  Sir Auron.  Please, have a seat.”

Rikku joined them at the table almost immediately.  Auron shifted uncomfortably, then settled down beside her.

“You knew?” he asked.

Yuna nodded hesitantly.  “Rikku told me about her adventures in the Farplane.  I have a sphere from back then.  I recognized you right away.”  She clasped her hands together too tightly, her fingers digging into her skin.  “You shouldn’t have come back.  But even though I know it… even though I’m thinking it, I’m still glad you’re here.”  Her voice quavered, echoing a similar pain Rikku had felt so long ago.  “It wasn’t fair, the way you left us.  You made me Send you.  You never even said anything.  You just… left.”  She ducked her head.  “At least my father told me goodbye.”

Auron’s eye crinkled in pain.  “Yuna.”  He reached out and gently separated her hands.  “Forgive me.  I was tired.  It made me cruel.”

She hiccupped a laugh.  “At least I know where Tidus got it from.”  Wiping at the corner of her eyes, she looked up and smiled at Auron.  “Thank you.  For everything you did for us back then.  I know it must have been hard.”

Auron’s hand tightened around Yuna’s.  “Don’t thank me for what I did.”  His voice was pained.  “I used you.  All of you.” 

“You forced us to open our eyes,” Yuna corrected, some of the resolve returning to her voice.  “No one else could have done what you did.  So yes, my thanks are in order.  You didn’t just save me from a Summoner’s fate… you freed Spira from Sin’s cycle.  You said this world was ours now.  But you know… I think it’s really yours, because you helped us make it.”

Auron looked down, his eye fluttering shut.

Rikku watched, the warm fuzzy feeling from seeing them reconnect soothing just a little more of her own pain.  She thought about what she might have wanted most from Cid, and cracked a watery smile.  “Just hug each other already,” she complained.

Yuna threw herself into Auron’s arms, laughing through her tears, and Tidus shared a knowing look with Rikku.  “Rikku, why don’t you help me outside for a minute?” he asked, getting up and edging towards the door.

She popped to her feet and followed him, smirking.  “Sure, Tidus, since it looks like you really need some help with those paper-thin excuses.”  Turning, she winked at Auron.  “Take your time,” she said softly.  “I’ll just be at the Temple for now.”  Noting Auron’s quizzical look, she waved him down.  “I need to check out something there.”

Exiting the hut, she strolled with Tidus down the dirt path, smiling and waving at the residents who spotted her and called out their greetings.

“Well, that went better than I thought it would,” Tidus admitted.

“I know, right?  I half-expected Lulu to start trancing the minute she saw Auron.”

Tidus threw his hands over his head and grinned smugly.  “That’s why I told Wakka to make sure she was holding Chappu before we came in.  Babies really mellow Lulu out.”

“That was mellow?” she laughed, stopping at the steps leading up to the Temple of Wind.

“Why do you wanna visit the Temple anyhow?” Tidus scratched his head.  “There’s nothing there anymore.  What’s up?”

Looking around to make sure no one was listening in, Rikku leaned forward.  “It’s about the gate to the Farplane.  Did Isaaru ever stop by here?”

Frowning, Tidus ushered her up the steps.  “Yeah, a few years back.  That was before you settled in.  He said he was inspecting it so he could name it a cultural heritage site.  That’s why the lower levels are sealed off, actually.  I guess he was successful.”

Rikku nodded.  “He was trying to stop up the holes that were left behind after all those dark aeons got summoned to fight us.  I think I can finish what he started.”

They entered the antechamber, the noticeably cooler air a soothing contrast to the tropical midday heat outside.  Rikku fell silent, smiling and waving at the various residents taking advantage of the temperature to lounge around the temple.  She paused for a moment to look up at Braska’s statue before pushing on.

They walked up the steps leading to the Trials without incident; Besaid was a small community, and both of them had been part of it for years.  Once inside, though, Tidus dropped his relaxed smile and faced her.   “What do you mean, anyway?  Is there something wrong down there?”

“Not really.”  She reached for the wall that masked the ‘hidden’ staircase leading to the trial behind it.  Closing her eyes, she felt the weave of Isaaru’s magic keeping it shut and began to thread her way through it.

Tidus crossed his arms and watched her.  “Wow,” he said after a few moments.  “I’d just break it.  It’d be so much easier than whatever it is you’re doing.”  He reached out a hand and touched the wall, squinting.  “Kinda feels like you’re picking a lock or something.”

Rikku hummed noncommittally, still feeling her way through the wards.  “I don’t want to just break it, though.  Isaaru put it here for a reason.  Oh, there we go.”  Stepping back, she put her hand on the wall, which rumbled up to reveal the passage below.  A blast of musty air hit them and Tidus coughed, waving his hand before his face.

“Riiight.  Well, you do you I guess.  Is whatever you’re getting up to down there dangerous?”

Passing through the barrier, she grinned and waved Tidus off.  “Not really.  I’m just strengthening the seal Isaaru made over the hole where Valefor used to be.  Less pyreflies, less fiends, right?”

“Huh.”  Tidus gave her a slow nod.  “If you say so.  I can’t do that, though.  I thought making magic seals was a summoner thing, not an aeon thing.”

Rikku punched the control for the wall on the other side of the Cloister.  As it slid closed, she grinned at him.  “It is.  Let Auron know I’ll be out in a few hours, okay?”

“Hours?!” she heard Tidus yell before the wall cut him off.

Turning, she called a flame into her palm, driving away the pitch black of the magically inert Cloister.  “I hope I’m right about this, Braska,” she mumbled, making her way down the steps and towards the Chamber of Fayth.

Chapter Text

A drop of sweat rolled off Rikku’s forehead and splattered onto the stone circle beneath her fingertips.   Her heart fluttered.  She worried it might disrupt the painstaking magic she was casting, but her trembling fingers stilled and she continued chanting without losing her focus.

We can do this.

Braska’s presence surrounded her, comforting and bolstering all at once.  She’d grown used to it; they’d been at this for what seemed like hours.  Her lips continued to form words she didn’t understand, leeching the power out of her soul and into the inert stone.  To her relief, the runes finally lit up when she finished.  The pyreflies drifting around the Chamber fell into the hole beneath the cloth seals with a shriek, just as they’d done in Kilika.

Sitting back, Rikku took a few deep breaths and mopped her face dry.  “That was more exhausting than sleeping with you,” she complained, rolling to her feet and wobbling to one side.  The whisper of a laugh caressed her ears.

How long was I down here?  Somehow, she dredged up the energy to call a flame to her hand so she could fumble her way out of the darkened Cloister.  It was definitely a longer time than it had been in Kilika.  Valefor’s magic circle was almost completely obliterated, and she’d had to construct most of the seal from scratch.  When she finally managed to activate the switch at the top of the stairs, it slid up to reveal Auron.  He was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the corridor, waiting for her.

“Did you have your fun?”  His eyebrow lifted and his lips twitched in amusement, taking in her bedraggled appearance.

“Oh sure.  Sealing entrances to the Farplane is a real joyride,” she grumped, shutting the wall behind her.  “The only thing I want to see right now is my bed.  I feel like I could sleep for a million years.”  Her feet dragged against the ground and she collapsed into his arms, stifling a yawn.  “How’d your talk with Yunie go?  And what time is it anyway?”

“It was… fulfilling.”  He set her back on her feet.  “We came to an understanding.  And night fell several hours ago.  You took longer in there than you did in Kilika,” he observed.  “Almost the entire village has turned in for the evening.  We should join them.”

“Sorry.”  She rubbed her sore eyes.  “The Chamber of the Fayth was in worse shape here.  Do you wanna know what I was doing?”

“I have a rough idea,” he replied, pushing open the doors to the antechamber. 

There was a soft thunk, and she flinched as something warm and wet splattered across her face.  “Eww!  What was th—”  Her words died out as Auron crumpled to the ground.

Reflexively, she pulled her arms together, wrists and elbows touching, summoning a Shield before dropping to her knees.  The barrier flashed a few times as multiple projectiles struck against it.  “Auron!”  She rolled him over.

His eye was glazed, his mouth working soundlessly as dark liquid trickled out of his mouth.  The haft of a dagger was deeply embedded into the side of his throat, and the amount of blood spilling from the wound sent her into a panic.  She kept one arm up, trying to maintain her shield while she fished frantically through her pouches for a potion.

Finding one, she ripped the cork off with her teeth and set it on the ground, struggling to work one-handed.  Her fist closed around the handle of the knife and she yanked it out.  A fountain of blood sprayed from his neck in an arc, and she cursed.  Grabbing the potion, she dumped it over the wound and then clapped her fingers against it, trying to seal and stem the red tide that continued to ooze out.  Her heart climbed back down from her throat when his bleeding slowed, and then eventually stopped.  Everything around – herself included – was drenched in too much of it to be healthy or even survivable by then.

“Auron!”  She searched desperately for another potion, hyperventilating.

“Lusa xieadmo un cryna rec vyda!”

Rikku looked up in shock, spotting twin globes of orange light floating across from them in the darkness of the antechamber.  She recognized them a moment later; the glow of activated machina from Al Bhed night goggles.  Multiple points of light lit up throughout the temple, and she realized there was much more than just one assassin present.

“Berrik,” her voice came out in a low hiss as the Godhand formed around her wrist.  She crouched over Auron, shielding his body with her own as she tried to assess the dark room.  Jecht’s voice came to her in a flash of inspiration, slowing her racing thoughts.

“These bodies of ours can do whatever we want ‘em to.”

Auron was still motionless below her, and the part of her that cared about clinging to her humanity seemed to be dying alongside him.  Her eyes sharpened and the temple came into focus with startling clarity.  There were sixteen Al Bhed men and women in the room – Berrik wasn’t taking any chances.  They weren’t using guns, she realized with surprise; taking in their dark clothing, she guessed they were trying to avoid alerting the rest of the village to their operation.

Her arm was beginning to shake from the force of maintaining her Shield, which the assassins watched with patient wariness.  Her reputation as a master Garment Grid user was well-known and they were exercising caution, trying to wait out her supposed magic power.

Nausea swept through her; she felt hollowed out, still weak from restoring the magic circle in the Chamber of the Fayth.  Her teeth ground together in frustration.  Considering how little energy she had left, they were using a pretty sound tactic.  Taking a deep breath, she tried to marshal her reserves for an assault.  Auron shifted below her, breaking her concentration.

“You’re okay?!”

He sat up slowly, brushing her off and feeling his neck.  Taking in her appearance, his face darkened, and he pushed away the second potion she tried to give him.  “Keep it,” he rumbled, his voice thick.  “I can’t die twice.”

A murmur rippled through the room as Auron struggled to his feet, one hand on his knee.  He staggered, but his gaze locked onto the closest assassin.  “Stay behind your shield.”  It was the only warning he gave before stepping outside of her protective bubble.

“Auron, no—” she yelled, but it was too late.  His opponent leapt forward, bayonet in hand.

Auron was faster, lifting one leg high and using his heel to slam the weapon to the ground with a clatter.  His assailant lurched, off-balance, and Auron reached out to grab the man’s chest with both hands.  He hurled his captive into the crowd of Al Bhed, knocking several of them to the floor.  A woman he’d missed rushed forward with a dagger, trying to take advantage of the confusion.  Auron whirled to meet her, his arm raised high.

The woman’s charge stopped.  “Ruf?” she gasped, sliding to the floor while grasping her split chest, the shock on her face plain to see.  The Masamune that was now in Auron’s outstretched hand seemed to absorb what little light could be found in the room. 

Auron threw himself forward before the woman’s body hit the ground, thrusting his sword into the surprised soldier who’d been standing next to her.  The huge man dropped his hammer and grabbed the katana to stop it from piercing further into him, but Auron’s eye blazed with cold fury.  Blood dripped to the ground from the Al Bhed’s hands as Auron slid the blade in ever so slowly, gouging through his adversary’s abdomen inch by inch.  When the man began to make odd, breathy noises of pain, Auron stopped and violently twisted his sword while pulling it out.  The man collapsed onto his knees, staring at the gaping hole in his stomach while gurgling.  The thud that sounded when his body hit the ground echoed loudly through the room.

Horrified silence descended in the temple; Auron turned to face the rest of the assassins.  His features had grown sharper, looking more and more inhuman, and his lone eye was emitting a faint glow.

Whispers arose as several of the remaining attackers stepped back uncertainly.  “Tasuh!”  “Ihcahd!”

“I am tonight,” Auron promised them darkly, twirling his sword around.  The blood sloughed off of the blade from the motion, splattering against the floor with a wet plop.

Rikku put her hand over her mouth as he stalked forward, searching for his next victim.  She felt sick.  His movements were certain; she knew she was seeing a part of him that he’d never wanted to show anyone again.  This was the reason he’d risen to the number one position in the Warrior-Monks; this was how he’d secured the title of Mika’s pet assassin for himself.  He hadn’t been trained to fight fiends.

There was no longer any beauty to his sword forms; his movements were brutal and efficient.  He ducked low as two of the Al Bhed rushed him.  Wielding his sword like a club, he thwacked them solidly in the legs.  The crunch of breaking bones filled the air.  As they howled in pain and collapsed to the floor, he strode through them and swung his arm back and forth, almost as if he were trying to loosen up his shoulders for a stretch.  Showers of blood followed the motion, though; he’d disemboweled them efficiently while they were off-guard.

Several of the Al Bhed whispered nervously among themselves, clearing a wide berth around him.  Auron pointed the Masamune at one of them, sliding his foot back into a sword stance.

The woman shook, and then lifted her own weapon – an electric whip of some sort.  She tried to twirl her arm overhead to lash at him.  Auron pounced before she could complete the rotation, bringing his sword down in an arc that cleaved her wrist from her forearm.  She screamed, looking at the bloody stump, and Auron’s katana sang as it sliced through her body, ensuring it was the last sound she made.

As he stepped away another warrior threw himself at Auron’s exposed back, twin axes raised high.  Rikku yelled out a warning and Auron spun on his heel, his arm outstretched in an upward slash that caught his challenger mid-flight across the throat.

Continuing the momentum of his spin, Auron rushed forward with a wordless roar, swinging his sword wildly back and forth to break apart the others before they could think of ganging up on him.  Two of them still decided to rush him together, but Auron wheeled and caught them with one sweeping slice, cutting them both down at once.  The tip of his sword hit the stone floor with a loud clang, and when he looked up, half of his face was smeared red with Al Bhed blood.

The cloying smell of death permeated the temple, and Rikku pushed herself shakily to her feet.  Auron had already felled half of the assassins Berrik sent after them, and the rest looked like they were considering abandoning their mission.  Soft sobs and curses filled the room, the gasps and groans of the dying.  Many of the remaining Al Bhed were trembling.

I have to stop him.  “Auron!”  She stood, but another assassin chose that moment to hurl himself off of a high summoner’s statue towards Auron’s head.  Jerkily, Auron swept the Masamune upwards, and his would-be ambusher hit the ground in two pieces.

“Stay behind your Shield!” he snapped at Rikku, and she recoiled from the fury dripping from his voice.

Someone assaulted him from behind while he was speaking to her.  Auron whirled and drove the man off with a wild slash of his sword.  His attacker scooted away but Auron followed, chasing him around another statue.  His footsteps slowed as he trapped the man against the wall, stalking inexorably forward, the nightmarish vision of a grim reaper. 

Shuddering, the man struck out with his spear.  Auron batted the hit away with his katana, slicing off the spearhead in the process.  He reached out and caught the flying scrap of metal in mid-air.  Twisting it around his fingers deftly, he adjusted his grip, and then threw the spearhead back.  It flew with such force that it pierced straight through the night goggles, shattering them, and nailed the man’s head against the wall.

Gagging, one of the other Al Bhed leaned over to retch.  Ignoring her plight, Auron lunged forward and drove his sword through her chest, ending her convulsions gruesomely.

“Vunkad dra bnehlacc!” one of the remaining assassins cried out.  “Fa lyhhud mad drec paycd aclyba!”

There was a murmur of assent from the other Al Bhed, and one of them charged at Auron with a war cry.  Auron sped up to meet him, ducking and rolling completely out of the way, only to cut the legs out from under another opponent.  As he rose smoothly to his feet, he swung his sword around without looking backwards, catching the first one who’d rushed at him across the throat and face.

A woman screamed and tried to leap onto Auron’s back; he quickly reversed his sword and let her impale herself on it instead.

The last two Al Bhed traded a glance, and then split apart.  They raced towards him at the same time from opposite sides.  Auron pulled his sword free of the body with a wet schlunk and swayed, skipping backwards as he tried to block both of them simultaneously.  After the slaughter they’d witnessed, however, neither of his enemies was eager to close in on him.  He fended them off with ease, a look of annoyance crossing his face. 

When one of them decided to try their luck with a lunge, Auron slung his sword out and whirled, knocking the staff free of the woman’s hands.  He lifted a leg up to propel his parry into a spin that flowed into an upward slash, slicing through his other antagonist from hip to shoulder.  He stopped the spin by planting both feet on the ground and brought the Masamune squarely onto his last foe’s back, completing his rotation and crushing the assassin to the ground in the process.

Silence descended as the last of the Al Bhed clinging on to life bled out.  Auron stood amidst the carnage, his back to her, shoulders heaving as he breathed heavily.  It couldn’t have been more than two minutes since he’d stepped through her Shield, yet the temple had been utterly transformed in that short amount of time.  Blood and offal slicked the floor and slathered the walls.  Mutilated bodies lay scattered everywhere, like a macabre sculpture.  Not a single assassin had managed to leave alive.

“Auron,” Rikku whispered, picking her way through the mess.  He whirled on her, his sword out, and she balked.  His fanged teeth were bared, and his face, though recognizable, was just a little too sharp.  His one eye blinked, glowing yellow.  Lowering his sword, he leaned forward, inhaling deeply as though he was scenting her.

The door to the temple banged open and Tidus rushed in, Caladbolg in hand.  Though he was wearing his full suit of armor, Rikku was thankful to see he didn’t have wings.  Said armor was liberally streaked with blood that she was sure wasn’t his.

“Yunie?!” she cried.

“She’s fine!”  He stopped short, staring in shock at the bodies strewn all around him.  “What happened here?”

Auron whirled to face him and roared, answering the question.

Tidus blanched and kicked the temple doors shut behind him, wedging his sword against them to prevent anyone else from coming in.  Rikku heard Lulu’s indignant shout sound outside.  “What’s wrong with him?” he asked, holding his hands up in appeasement as he circled around Auron.

“An ambush happened!  They tried to kill him, and now he’s losing himself!”  She couldn’t say it; she couldn’t bear to think she might be responsible for turning Auron into a fiend.

Tidus’s face grew grim, though he shot a sympathetic glance towards her as he approached.  “This isn’t your fault.  It’s not every day we get visits from murderous kidnappers.” 

“You’re not freaking out?”

“My old man was Sin, remember?”  He edged closer to her, nearly tripping over a body.   “Wow.  Yuna only got four of them.  Holy crap, Rikku.”

Auron chose that moment to snarl and lunge forward, apparently displeased with Tidus’s proximity to her.

“Whoa!” Tidus yelled, dodging out of the way.  He was still faster than Auron, at least.  When the other man missed, Tidus reached out and hooked his arms underneath Auron’s, grappling him and dragging him backwards.

Auron twisted and struggled, fighting to break free.  With a pressurized hiss, Tidus’s boots widened and sunk into the ground, cracking the stone beneath him and binding them in place.

“Do something!” Tidus yelled at her, wincing and ducking away from Auron’s wild slashes as he held him down.

Rikku focused while crouching, watching Auron flounder and snarl against Tidus’s hold.  Her eyes tracked the Masamune, dark and dangerous and still in his hand.  She counted off the milliseconds between his flailing swings.  Then, steeling herself, she rushed in, ducking under the sword.  Throwing her arms around his neck, she planted a rushed kiss onto his lips.  Their teeth clacked, but she ignored it and tightened her grip.

If fiends are ruled by passion, she thought, struggling to keep herself flush against his body, then I’ll fill him with something other than a lust for battle.

“Oh-kaaay,” Tidus yelped, releasing Auron and throwing himself out of the fray.

It was working; rather than continuing to struggle, Auron dropped his sword and wrapped his arms around her, eagerly meeting her kiss.  His tongue forced its way into her mouth, and she made a small noise of protest.

“Uh, Rikku?  That wasn’t what I meant by ‘do something’!”

Auron broke away from her long enough to let out a low, warning snarl.  Then he grabbed the back of her head and forced her lips back down onto his.

“Please tell me you have a plan other than making out with him,” Tidus begged.

She tore herself away and gasped for breath, stretching her neck out for display so Auron would latch onto it instead of her lips.  She winced as she felt the prick of his teeth and his hot breath wash over her jugular and forced herself to still.  “At least he’s not trying to kill us right now!”  Auron’s hands clamped around her hips, pulling her with him to the ground.  His clawed fingers pierced into her sides, drawing blood.  “I don’t know how to bring him back!”

“Look, I’m gonna have to knock him out if you can’t get him under control,” Tidus warned, his face pale.  “He’s hurting you.”

She hissed as Auron’s fingers dug even deeper, opening slashes along both of her hips.  “I know,” she puffed.  “I know, but I don’t know what else I can do!”

There is something you can do.

A feeling of eerie calm descended over her, and her body relaxed.

Let me help him.

She acquiesced, letting go and giving herself over to Braska’s now-familiar presence.  Her arms loosened and dropped to her sides, dragging along the floor.

“Rikku!  Your eyes…”

Tidus’s voice was distant; she couldn’t even feel the pain of Auron’s teeth sinking into her shoulder, or his hands tearing at her hips.  Her fingers flexed, anointing themselves in the blood spilled all around them.  Then her arms lifted, and she began to trace a pattern over his shoulder.  She could feel Braska guiding her hands to scribe bloody runes all across Auron’s back.  When she finished, she pulled away.

Auron growled in protest until she straddled him; then he lay back, panting harshly as he let her push him to the ground.  She leaned over him, continuing to paint over the front of his chest while he bucked beneath her.  His wandering fingers left lacerations wherever they traced, but she ignored them, focusing on finishing the runes.  As soon as the circle was complete, she cupped his face with both of her hands and started chanting lowly. 

Spots flashed before her eyes; she knew in theory she couldn’t die from blood loss, but she was nearing the end of her last reserves of power and felt her consciousness wavering.  Auron frotting mindlessly against her wasn’t helping the ritual at all, either.  He tore at her skirt as she finally completed the chant.  The power escaped her in a rush, lighting the runes on his body.  Auron convulsed, letting out an ear-piercing shriek.

Rikku hung on, slamming her hands onto his shoulders and locking her legs around his hips, trying to hold him down.  After a few agonizing moments, his struggles slowed and his punishing grip finally loosened.  His features melted back into their familiar planes and angles, the otherworldly sharpness bleeding away.  What was left behind was a man who looked just as wane and exhausted as she felt.  His one russet eye fluttered open and focused on her.

“Did I win?”

She laughed shakily.  “Yeah.  You did this time.”  Unable to keep herself upright, she slid off of him.

“Rikku!”  Tidus caught her before she could land in an undignified heap on the filthy, blood-splattered ground.  “Hey, are you normal again?” he asked Auron, placing himself between them.

Auron’s eye widened and he sat up, looking at her, taking in her injuries.  His face paled.  “Did I do this?” he asked hoarsely.

Rikku pushed herself out of Tidus’s grasp and reached out to cup his face.  “You saved me,” she insisted, unwilling to let him draw his own conclusions.  “They tried to kill you, but you saved me anyway.”

“I hurt you.”  He put his hands on her injured hips and murmured.  A Cure spell washed over her, and then another, and another.  He kept going even after he’d closed all of her visible wounds, casting and re-casting what little white magic he knew.

“Stop.”  She caught his shaking hands and held them still.  “I’m fine.  I’m just tired.  Heal yourself instead.”

He shook his head, his voice laced with bitterness.  “I did this to you.”

The doors to the temple rattled and Tidus grimaced.  “I need to let Lulu and Yuna in before they blow a hole into the walls.”  He took another look at the massacre, then back at them.  “Are you guys gonna be okay with that?”

Auron dropped his head, silent, and Rikku drew him closer.  “Yeah.  We need Yunie.  Someone’s gotta Send all these people or they’ll come back as fiends.”  She looked at Auron, who’d flinched at the word.  “Can you help me up?”

Tidus pulled them both to their feet.  His blood-stained armor vanished into a pair of pajamas and his sword reappeared in his hand.  As soon as that happened, the temple doors flew open.

Lulu staggered in, followed closely by Yuna; they were both disheveled and also dressed in their nightgowns.  A distant part of her mind – the one that was probably in shock – was vaguely amused that Lulu’s sleepwear was less revealing that her day corset.  Her more rational voice was reminding her that now was probably not the right time to be thinking about Lulu’s ample chest.

“Lulu!” Tidus shouted, running up to them with his arms spread wide.  “Don’t let Yuna in here!”

Lulu opened her mouth to protest but then froze, her nostrils flaring.  It was clear she couldn’t see much in the darkness of the temple interior, but the smell wafting out of the antechamber was unmistakable.  She turned abruptly and pushed Yuna outside.  “Stay there.  Don’t look!” she said harshly.

“Lulu?”  Yuna sounded confused; thankfully she obeyed Lulu’s instructions as the black mage slammed the doors shut once again.

Then, light flared as Lulu waved her hands, igniting all of the braziers in the Temple simultaneously.  She took one look around and stepped back, her eyes wide.  “Dear Yevon,” she whispered.  Then she focused on Rikku and Auron.  “Did you two do all of this?”

Rikku took a peek at Auron and then nodded.  “They tried to kill us.”

Auron didn’t reply, his head still ducked low.

Lulu pushed herself off of the door.  “I’m glad I left Wakka with the children.  He wouldn’t be able to stomach this.”  She dropped her face into her hands and took a deep breath, her shoulders hitching.  When she raised her head, the cold detachment had returned to her expression, and her voice no longer shook.  She took charge immediately, pointing.  “Tidus.  Go home and bring me your bedsheets.”  Her eyes skimmed over the corpses.  “… All of them.  Take Yuna along.  Don’t leave her alone for one minute.”  She paused and then sighed.  “And ask her to perform a Sending outside before you come back in.”

“Yes ma’am,” Tidus said, glancing back at them before exiting the Temple.

Squaring her shoulders, Lulu faced them.  “Yuna was also attacked.  Tidus stopped them before anything could happen, but this…”  She was speechless for a moment, gesturing helplessly at their surroundings.  “This is unprecedented, to say the least.”  She shut her eyes.  “I don’t want to know how you managed to defeat all of them, or why it was so… brutal.  But you need to be gone before Yuna dances.”  She eyed them critically, then lifted her hand.

A blast of cold water rained over them from above, sluicing away the more obvious bloodstains on their skin and clothing.  “Bathe before you sleep.  And…” She paused, calculating, then narrowed her eyes.  “You need to find their ship, Rikku.  Tonight, if possible.  We can’t let this get out.  Besaid isn’t ready to be pulled into a war.”

Nodding wearily, Rikku kept herself from reaching out to hug the other woman.  “Thanks, Lulu.  I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Lulu grumbled, picking her way gingerly through the bodies and viscera, pausing periodically to cast wateras to clear the path for her bare feet.  “If this is how badly Berrik wants to get his hands on you, I can’t let you stay here.”  She stopped, staring at them.  “I’m sorry, Rikku.  I know this is your home.  But Chappu and Vidina…”  Her voice cracked.

“No, I know.  I have to deal with this personally.  Berrik’s gone too far.”  She turned and bumped herself against Auron’s shoulder.  “Let’s go.”

They limped out of the temple, Auron half-dragging her.  A few people in the village had stirred, roused by the noise, but Rikku waved them back inside with a fake smile.  “It’s fine!  I caused a little accident at the temple, but Lulu’s taking care of it.”  That seemed to appease the stragglers, who returned to their beds with good-natured grumbles.  She wondered if that spoke more for her reputation, or for Lulu’s. 

“Are you gonna give me the silent treatment all night?” she whispered to Auron.

He stopped, looking at her.  Then with a shake of his head, he reached down and scooped her into his arms, carrying her down the rest of the dirt path.  “Where do you want to go?”

She leaned into his chest, her head feeling heavy.  “Take me to the lagoon,” she murmured, falling into a light doze.

The feel of water trickling over her skin snapped her back awake; she was nearly naked, and Auron was carefully bathing her, washing away all traces of the remaining blood left on her skin.  Most of it, she realized, was his.  She blinked and looked around, recognizing the lagoon.  Her clothes were damp and had been spread out to dry on the rocky shelf behind them.  “Hey.  Are you alright?”

Auron’s hands stopped, wrapped around her ankle.  “Of course not.  But I’m not sorry I killed those men and women.  I only regret that I hurt you in the process.”  He resumed his slow, deliberate motions.  “Perhaps that is what’s really wrong with me.”  He scrubbed a bit of dried blood off of her calf.  “I can’t stay here with you.  I’m losing myself.”  He met her eyes.  “Maybe Cid was right.  I’m only a dark shadow of the man you loved.”

She fell silent, biting her lip.  “They hurt you first.  Berrik wanted you dead!  If you weren’t already an Unsent, you really would’ve died.”  She pushed him away with her foot.  “You can’t let him win.”

Auron leaned back, staring at her.  “This isn’t about Berrik.  I’m becoming a fiend, slowly but surely.  You could barely stop me this time.”  He shook his head.  “This is no way for either of us to live.  I must return to the Farplane, where I belong.”

She turned away from him, hiding her face.  “Anyone who said three times is a charm is a lying liar.  I don’t want to lose you again.”

“You will anyway at this rate,” he pointed out, continuing with her bath.

Sighing, she grabbed him and pulled him into the shallow water with her.  They came up splashing, and Rikku wrapped her arms and legs around him like a jellyfish.  “I’m surprisingly good at hanging on to the things I like.”

He held her up, staring into her eyes.  “I know.  I’ll stay with you until Macalania.  Once you give this eidolon to Jecht, my mission will be complete.  That is as far as I can go.”

She tightened her arms around him.  “Fine.  For now.  But if I think of something before then, you better promise to let me try it.”  It was a brazen bluff, but she wouldn’t allow herself to think of the alternative.

He huffed a weary laugh, obviously not convinced that she’d be able to save him.  “As you wish.”

She leaned over and kissed him, savoring the feel of having him in her arms.  I’ll make you eat those words, she promised fiercely.  I won’t let you go this time.

Chapter Text

In the end, it was Tidus who discovered the trimaran.  Rikku was so drained by the whole ordeal that she had little memory of Auron carrying her back to their lodge to sleep.  Tidus, on the other hand, was an inexhaustible font of energy, most likely trying to burn off his frustration at the attempt to kidnap Yuna. 

Berrik and the Pollendina were nowhere to be found, of course.  It provided the Restorationists with a thin layer of plausible deniability.  Or maybe it was that Berrik had overwhelming confidence that his mission would succeed regardless of what sort of a fight ‘Aaron’ could put up.

The latter thought made Rikku feel queasy; despite their numbers, most of the assassins Berrik had sent after Auron weren’t anywhere near his level of skill.  She could only assume Berrik had calculated that some of his men would die in the attempt – the real reason for sending so many after her and yet so few after Yuna.

Somehow, Lulu managed to work her magic – both literally and figuratively – in the Temple itself.  The bodies were nowhere to be found, and the building was declared off-limits ‘until the smell disappeared,’ or so she claimed.  Everyone in the village simply assumed Rikku had failed some sort of experiment again within the Temple grounds and didn’t question Lulu’s order, despite their grumbling.  Only the five of them who’d witnessed the attacks knew the horrible truth behind her statement.

Now she and Auron stood on Besaid’s pier, preparing to leave the island as quickly as possible. 

“So,” Rikku said as she surveyed the racing boat docked there.  It was painfully Al Bhed in make, and much like the incident at the Temple, everyone simply assumed it belonged to her.  She hadn’t disabused anyone of the notion.  “If this is my ship now, then I’m gonna sail it to Luca.”

“You think he’s there.”  Auron eyed the ship critically.

“That was where Dona and I told him to go.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he took my order literally and was parked there, waiting for this ship to bring me and Yunie to him.”

Grunting his agreement, Auron faced her.  “Can you sail this thing?”

“Weeeell… I know how to do it, but it’d be easier with some help.  Technically, it takes at least two people to pilot it.  Don’t worry though.  We’ll get this thing to Luca one way or another!”

“Well good!”  Tidus’s cheerful voice interrupted them.  “Because Yuna and I need a ride too.”  He and Yuna climbed up the pier, each carrying a large rucksack.  “By the way, Lulu would’ve said goodbye, but she’s passed out back home.  She worked hard last night.  Wakka’s taking care of her.  He said to give you this.”  Tidus passed her a tightly wrapped cloth package.

“Huh?”  Peeking inside, Rikku wrinkled her nose.  “Taro root pudding?  Uhh… here, Auron!”

Auron took the package stoically.  “Thank you.”  To his credit, he didn’t immediately upend its contents into the ocean.

“Yunie…”  She studied her cousin, curious about her change of heart.  “Are you sure about this?  I thought you said you were done with your public life.”

“I wanted to be, but after last night…”  Yuna clasped her hands together, her face falling.  “All those people died.  They were after both of us.  I need to do something about it too.”  When she raised her head, a familiar determination was shining through, her mouth set in a firm line.  “I can’t keep avoiding people.  You managed to gather the courage to leave Besaid on your own… and you got thrown into the circus that became your life while you weren’t looking.”  She winced.  “I know exactly what that’s like.  I should have been there for you.  So the least I can do now is try to help you through it.”

“You don’t have to feel responsible for me, Yunie!”  She didn’t know what to say, other than to feel guilty.  Maybe Berrik had been planning to kidnap Yuna all along, or maybe he hadn’t.  What she was sure of was that it wouldn’t have been such an extreme assault if she and Auron hadn’t provoked him in Kilika.  “I’m sor—”

“No.”  Yuna’s voice was firm.  “It wasn’t just you who was running away.  New Yevon has been growing for months now.  They’ve managed to gain this much popularity because I’ve been ignoring them.  I have to make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself.”  She took a deep breath.  “Berrik is your fight.  But New Yevon is mine.  You know they’re becoming more popular because Berrik is pushing so hard.  People want to feel safe.  They want the promise of Yevon’s power without the threat of Sin, and Shelinda is telling them she can deliver it.”  She shook her head.  “I need to go to Bevelle.  Maybe we can find a way…. to stop this from escalating.  Before it becomes a real war.”

“Yeah!”  Tidus pumped his fist.  “And that means we’re coming with you, at least to Luca.”  His smile faltered.  “Uh, if you’ll have us, I mean.”

Auron chuckled.  “Just like old times?”

“Even better!”  Rikku threw herself at Yuna and gave her a hug.  “Thank you,” she whispered into the other girl’s ear, blinking back her tears.

Yuna gave a similarly wet laugh and returned the embrace.  “We’ll be okay.”

They separated, and Rikku swayed back and forth, bouncing with anticipation.  “This is so exciting!  All of us together again!  But the boat won’t sail itself, right?  All aboard!”

“So what’s the name of this thing?” Tidus asked, hopping onto the trimaran and holding out his hand for Yuna.

Rikku paused, putting her hand on the hull of the ship.  Closing her eyes, she thought about it.  Then she opened them and looked at Auron.  “Her name is the Aspiration.”

 “Ever the optimist,” he replied.

“That’s why you love me,” she teased.  She squeaked when his arm snaked around her and pulled her flush against him.

“For more reasons than merely that.”  He leaned down and she reddened, hyper-aware of Tidus and Yuna’s eyes on them.  Auron refused to let her escape.  Instead, he tilted his head and kissed her deeply.  “I love you enough to have returned,” he murmured when they finally broke apart.  “And I won’t let Berrik hurt you regardless of the cost.”

Her fingers tightened around his jacket.  “And I won’t let you become a fiend.”  She did finally manage to lean back enough to glare at him.  “I’m not compromising on this one, Auron.  When we find Berrik, I want you to step back.  I can handle him better than you can handle yourself.”  She swallowed, reaching up to run her fingers through the hair at his temple.  “Stay human for me.  That’s all I’m asking you for.”

“Hnn.  I give you no promises… but I will try.”  He gave her cheek a final stroke with the back of his fingers before releasing her and boarding the boat.

Rikku held her face for a moment, willing her blush to die down, and then followed him on board.  She stopped by Yuna, who’d covered her mouth.  “Uhh… sorry.  Was that too gross for you?”

Yuna’s hands dropped to reveal a tiny smile.  “Oh, no no!  It’s just that I’ve never seen Auron with that expression before.  He really does love you.  It’s… cute.”

“Oh!  Don’t let him hear you say that,” she whispered back.

“Y’hear that?  The girls think you’re cute!” Tidus yelled.  “Aww, Auron!  You’re such a cutie-wootie-pootie-AAAH!”

Auron leaned forward, looking over the railing he’d just tossed Tidus over.  “Do you remember how I told you to make mistakes?” he asked when Tidus surfaced with a splash.

Tidus spluttered, treading water.

“I’d like you to reconsider that advice.  You’re not young anymore.”  He looked up, squinting at Rikku.  “Let’s go.  He can swim.”

Yuna shared a knowing look with her, and they both erupted into giggles.

.x.x.x.

To observe that Luca was crowded would be like saying the Al Bhed enjoyed dabbling in machinery.  Rikku barely managed to find a place to dock the Aspiration amongst all the other ships; the crush of people invading the city for tournament season was at an all-time high.  She was a little bit frustrated at being unable to scan for the Pollendina in her human form, but the harbor was so packed with boats that it would have been dangerous to reveal her true form regardless.

Still, that didn’t stop the four of them from running through each dock, looking for traces of the Al Bhed salvage ship.  It was nowhere to be found.  Feeling uneasy about the whole thing, Rikku suggested they meet up with Paine.  The Guardians were providing security for the tournament, and she was hoping Paine had access to more resources than they would have on foot.

Which was how Paine ended up sitting with them at a small café, her iced double mocha latte forgotten.  The whipped foam started to dribble down the side of her glass while she stared in disbelief at the four of them, her mouth agape.

“So you’re telling me he actually sent assassins after you?” she repeated, her red eyes wide.

“Yeppers!  Twenty of ‘em.”  Rikku squirmed in her seat, trying to hide her discomfort.  “Though technically Aaron and I only got sixteen.”

“Only sixteen.”  Paine leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.  “And you say he’s coming to Luca now?  You think he’s going to be a threat to the tournament?”

“Well, umm… I don’t think he was actually trying to assassinate either of us,” Yuna interrupted.  “From the way they were talking, I think they were just trying to bring us back to him.”

“Yeah.  No room for boyfriends on that trip though,” Tidus said sourly, kicking the table.  Paine’s coffee spilled a little more, and she glared at him while snatching up her drink.

“Well, he didn’t succeed.  And if he figures out that the four of you are here now, I’m going to need this.”  She threw back her head and downed the coffee in a few long gulps.  Slamming the glass back on the table, she stood up.  “Come on.  We need to get to the Guardian headquarters and assign you a security detail.”

Trading glances, they all sprung to their feet and trailed after Paine, who was parting the crowds blocking the street with the force of her glare.

“Do you think she could be related to you?” Rikku whispered to Auron.

“I’d be honored,” he replied distractedly.  She realized he was surveilling the crowd as they passed, his guard up.

She moved closer to him.  “You don’t actually think Berrik would try something in here in the middle of the street, do you?”

“A crowd is the perfect cover for an assassination attempt.”  He paused to glance down at her.  “It’s what I would do.”

Chilled by the thought of Auron losing control of himself in the crush of tourists all around them, Rikku hurried to catch up to Paine.

“Hey.  So, do Aaron and I really need a security detail if we’re not planning to stick around Luca?”

Paine sighed.  “You’re already here.  Take the extra security.  I need to put out a warning for the Guardians to be on the lookout for Berrik anyway.”

There was a shout and a mild disturbance somewhere further from them.  “Umm, Paine?”  Yuna jogged up to join them.  “Maybe you should wait a moment!”

“Why?”  As they stopped, it became clear.

“Capt’n!”  A rough voice carried over the buzz of the crowd.  When the owner pushed through, Rikku recognized the long, lavender hair of the man working the Comm Sphere.  “It’s an emergency!”

“Faris?”  Paine’s eyes narrowed.  “What’s happening?”

Faris stopped before Paine, leaning forward on his knees and huffing.  “It’s the game!  The stadium’s being overrun by machina!”

Everyone whirled to look at the sphere dome, which was currently activated.  The players in the water were fighting one another, and not just in a friendly competition.  The Psyches were on the field and they were going all-out against the Glories, trying to knock the other blitzball players completely free of the water.  In the stadium, Rikku could see flashes of light – gunfire – and screams beginning to sound over the roar of the crowd.

“Oh hell naw,” Tidus said, his fists clenching.  “Tell me they aren’t messing with blitzball now!”

“We think the Psyches smuggled parts into the locker room an’ built ‘em on the fly,” Faris wheezed.  “Plus the machina were carrying weapons that got dispersed into plants mixed in with the crowd.  We were infiltrated by those bastards!”

“Damn.”  Paine abruptly changed course.  “Come on!”

Everyone picked up into a run towards the stadium.  As they got closer, the sounds of fighting became clear.  The Guardians were doing their job, but no-one had been expecting an attack.  The security forces were busy trying to defend and evacuate the panicked crowd.  On top of that, it looked like the largest machina were concentrated near the exits.  It was almost like they were trying to keep everyone inside.

“Wait…” 

Auron eyed her sharply.  “What is it?”

Rikku’s eyes traveled up to the watery sphere.  The Psyches and the Glories were still fighting.  “If Berrik was counting on losing some of his men when he attacked us…” she mumbled, turning to watch the machina pushing back the Guardians trying to free the main exit.   “Berrik isn’t here!” she shouted.

“We have bigger problems,” Paine growled, activating her Garment Grid.  Black ichor bubbled around her as she donned her Dark Knight costume, her expression dangerous.  Yuna had activated her belt as well, now dressed as a Gun Mage.

“No, we don’t!  They’re trying to keep people in!” she shouted, looking away from the dome and out over the crowd.

“The salvage ship,” Auron said.  “He’s planning something with that ship.”

Rikku felt sick.  “He must have repaired it and put it back… and he’s gonna use it!  On the stadium!”

“Repaired what?” Paine shouted.

“The rail gun!  The one that was on the Fahrenheit!”

Everyone else realized what she meant at the same time.

“Just like at Mushroom Rock…” Yuna breathed, paling.  For a moment, shocked silence descended over them.  “How can we even stop that without aeons?”

Tidus stiffened and looked at her.

Paine growled.  “I need to get that exit clear.  We have to evacuate these people right now!”  She didn’t wait for a response, flinging herself into the fight.

Grabbing Auron, Rikku shoved him after Paine.  “You and Yunie go help her!”

Auron froze and looked at her, but she met his fierce stare with one of her own.  “Remember what I asked you?”

His mouth tightened, but he turned away from her and grabbed Yuna, dragging her with him.

“Tidus?” Yuna cried out, struggling against Auron’s grip.  She broke free and stared at Tidus with wide, panicked eyes.  “Don’t leave!  Promise me that you won’t leave again!”

Even while he faced her with a smile, Tidus’s suit of armor was climbing over his body.  “Don’t worry.  This time, I’ll protect you.”  He turned his head and looked at Rikku.  “I’ve got this.  You’re the one who has to find him.”  That was the last thing he could say as his visor dropped down over his face and glowing wings sprouted from his back. 

“Yeah.”  Rikku backed away, pulling her exosuit up as she moved.  Taking a cue from him, she let the plating slide over her head, completely masking her face and hair before launching into the air.

Looking down after gaining some altitude, she saw that Tidus hadn’t stopped transforming.  He’d planted his hands and feet into the ground, growing larger and larger.  As his humanity fell away into his full aeon form, she caught a glimpse of Yuna watching, her mouth open wide and tears in her eyes.  Tidus’s new body was massive, even larger than Eden.  He looked more like a walking fortress than a human being.  Feathered wings jutted from his back and extended before the dome, eating up her view of the sky.

Alexander.  Just as he’d first recognized her as Eden, somehow, Rikku innately understood what he’d become.

Tearing herself away from the sight, she scanned the seas, searching for some sign of the Pollendina.  A glint of light caught her attention.  It grew in size, crackling and flashing.  She dove towards it, but it was much too far away for her to reach it in time.  Rikku could only watch in horror as a wide beam of energy shot out from it, racing towards the stadium.  She barrel rolled out of the way, feeling the blast singe her back.  The crackling energy lanced unerringly towards the sphere dome.

It never hit; Alexander’s enormous wings folded down into a physical shield to augment the magical one that formed before him.  The ray of light slammed against him, shattering the magic shield almost instantly.  His wings shook, the pure white feathers charring and turning black as they burned away, but he held fast, metal groaning and shrieking under the pressure of the attack.  When the smoke cleared, though, she could see that the Dome itself was still intact behind the aeon’s blackened body.

Alexander can’t take another hit like that.  Turning, she leaned forward, speeding towards the ship on the open sea.  It was a race against time; she had to reach the Pollendina before Berrik could recharge the laser.  She ducked her head lower, pushing her limits.

I can be faster!

Her body adjusted with her thoughts, the rotating wheel on her back folding in on itself and glowing.  With a flare of the additional jet it morphed into she rocketed towards the salvage ship, the wind screaming past her ears.  She could see it more clearly through her visor now; several Al Bhed were re-aiming the gun.  And there at the hull she spotted Berrik, his lips turned up into a sneer at the sight of Alexander blocking his target.

She adjusted her speech to project across the water.   “Stop!”

There was momentary confusion as the crew scrabbled to identify the source of the noise.  Berrik tracked her approach, his eyes going wide.  Then he whirled and yelled something to the others, throwing his hand out.

To her dismay, they worked even more quickly to recharge the laser.  She grit her teeth, thinking of the people in the dome.  The screams and the gunfire she’d already seen.  Of Yuna’s expression when Tidus revealed his true form.  Auron’s back to her as he stood alone in a temple painted with blood.

“I won’t let you off,” she promised, angling herself lower.  Soon, she was close to the surface of the ocean, blasting a spray of water behind herself as she twisted into a rotation.  The newly-formed jetpack detached from her back, its segments reforming before her head into a wicked drill.  She slammed into the hull of the salvage ship at full speed, metal screeching as she tore through it like paper.  Banking her flight abruptly when she broke through the other side, she rose into the air and turned to watch the destruction unfold.

She’d blown a hole through the entire ship from bow to stern.  The Pollendina took on water rapidly, listing as it sank.  The railgun bolted to the deck was unable to stop charging and fired as it came loose from its moorings, blasting a harmless explosion into the water near the shore of the city. Crewmembers scrambled for purchase, screaming and yelling in panic.  A few were attempting to repair the doomed ship.  Rikku didn’t care about any of them; her eyes were focused solely on Berrik.  He pressed himself against the wall of the cabin, watching her with a mixture of confusion and calculation. 

He thinks I’m some kind of advanced machina?  Anger overtook her; she wanted him to know exactly who she was.  Clenching her teeth, she folded back her helmet and landed on the deck with a thud.  The Godhand formed around her wrist as she pointed at him.  “Berrik!”

His eyes went wide when he recognized her.   A few of the Al Bhed who’d noticed her arrival rushed to his aid and attacked.  She ducked out of the way of one and punched another, sending her target flying into the cabin Berrik was propped against with her augmented strength.  Even more crewmembers gathered around her, trying to stop her forward march.  Each of them was wielding a gun.  They were focused on protecting Berrik; they’d sold themselves completely to his cause.

Her back wheel split into many segments, glittering as they whirled around her into a living shield, blocking the shots being fired.

“You sorry sack of scum!” she yelled.  Her moving shield of floating metal shards abruptly coalesced into two cannons that hovered over each of her shoulders. 

A few bullets strafed her during the transformation, but she hardly felt them.  These people… they tried to kill Auron.  Fury clouded her thoughts; the cannons on her sides rotated rapidly, charging just like the rail gun had.  The hum of building energy echoed her chaotic feelings.  She hardly thought about what she was doing as she strafed the deck, not slowing her forward march while she attacked.  The zealots trying to shield Berrik collapsed into heaps of smoking flesh; even the metal of the salvage ship behind them was sliced apart.  She closed on her target.

“You’re responsible for this.  All these peoples’ deaths,” she hissed, slamming her arm under Berrik’s chin in a chokehold.  He didn’t resist the attack, his shocked green eyes still trained on her face.  “And you tried to kill everyone in Luca, too!”  She thought of Auron, his expression fiendish, losing his humanity.  “This… everything… it’s all your fault!” 

She didn’t know what she was expecting – for Berrik to beg for mercy, perhaps, or to fight back.  What he did was far worse, though – he grabbed onto her weapon.  Blood spurted from his fingertips as he clutched the sharp end of the Godhand’s blades tightly.  And on his lips, a crazed smile formed.

“It’s true.  It’s all true!  I thought I was making it up, but I was right!  By the sands, I was right all along!”

She recoiled enough for him to push away.  He didn’t struggle, though; instead, he fell to his knees, his face shining with feverish madness.

“It was you on the spheres!  You are Rikkma!  Ageless, timeless, all-powerful!  You are the god of the Al Bhed!”

The ship lurched and Rikku scooted away from him, shaken.  “You’re insane!”   

“My goddess!” he cried, catching his balance and running towards her.  She leapt to meet him, her arm pulled back.  When he tried to close around her for an embrace, she made sure her fist went through his chest.

He smiled, grabbing onto her, blood bubbling out of his mouth.  “You… chose… me,” he crooned. 

She pulled away with a wet squelch, unease filling her.  “Sicko,” she growled, kicking him off and rising into the air.  “You can’t hurt anyone else anymore!”

He collapsed onto the deck, his expression going slack as he bled out.  His body slid into the water with a soft plip alongside the rest of the ship, his lifeless eyes still trained on her until the end.

.x.x.x.

Luca was in chaos when Rikku returned.  She dropped her exosuit and tried her best to blend in with the panicked crowds.  Despite her attempts to meld in, though, the people who saw her gave her a wide clearance.  A few might have recognized her, but most of them regarded her with shell-shocked looks of fear and distrust.  She soon realized why.

Along the way, signs of fighting littered the streets.  Rogue machina lay ruined and smoking everywhere; apparently Berrik had released his army along the docks, not just inside the stadium.  Alongside the ruined machinery lay the occasional humanoid corpse, just as broken.  Guardians were already moving through the streets, carrying the bodies back towards the stadium.  Unsurprisingly, the worst of the street fighting seemed to have taken place between the Al Bhed themselves.  The blond, green-eyed residents of Luca were possibly the ones most motivated to stop Berrik’s Al Bhed incursion, and the casualties among them were also the greatest.  Her heart ached as she passed them by.

The closer she got to the dome the more the crowd swelled, rather than thinning.  It was soon apparent why.  Yuna stood in the middle of the plaza, dancing a Sending.  Many of the living watching her had fallen to their knees, their faces shining with hope and performing the symbol of Yevon as they bowed. Paine and a handful of her Guardians were nearby, monitoring Yuna and her audience.  It looked like things were once again under control in the stadium.  Unsurprisingly, Auron and Tidus were nowhere to be found. 

Easing her way to Paine’s side, she leaned in.  “What’s going on?”

“Yuna made history again,” Paine told her under her breath.  “She summoned the aeon that saved our bacon.  Any news on Berrik?”

“I saw it with my own eyes,” she said truthfully.  “He was gonna fire on the stadium again, but the gun came lose and hit his own ship instead.  They sunk themselves.”  That was the lie.  “He really did make his own fate in the end.”

Paine snorted.  “He was so eager to kill the rest of us that he accidently shot himself in the proverbial foot?  That’d almost be poetic, if it weren’t for all the people he managed to hurt here.”  Her eyes focused on Rikku.  “Are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Seeing so many of your people die.”

Rikku ducked her head.  “I’m not exactly fine with it.  But… they kinda wanted to become sacrifices, you know?  They chose to be blind and completely believed in whatever Berrik was feeding them, just like those fanatics in the stadium.  Those blitzball players would’ve been blown up alongside the rest of us.”

“Tell me about it,” Paine groaned.  “Not all of them were really Psyches, either.  They incapacitated their non-Restorationist teammates and took over the match.”  She cupped a hand behind her neck and twisted; it cracked loudly.  “I don’t even know what to do with the survivors.  Jail time?  Therapy?  Send them all to the Machine Faction and let Gippal deal with them?”  Her eyes narrowed.  “Actually, I’ll get in touch with Gippal after this.  Even with Berrik gone, we still need to march on Djose now.  The rest of Spira was watching here, and everyone’s going to want payback.  It’ll be better if I can join hands with the Machine Faction before the world converts back to Yevon and starts demanding Al Bhed blood again.”  She let out a tired sigh.  “I’m sorry, Rikku.  I wish it hadn’t come to this.”

A collective sigh escaped the crowd, and Rikku looked up in time to see Yuna’s dance come to an end.  Paine motioned for two of the Guardians standing next to her to flank Yuna as the crowd swarmed around the summoner. 

“By the way… you’re not freaked out by Yuna calling an aeon?” she whispered as they watched from the sidelines.

“If there’s one thing Yuna taught me, it’s that there’s always more to a story than meets the eye.  Besides, you know I was a reporter before I became a soldier.  I observe details.  Look for patterns.  Then use those skills to make strategies.”  She glanced at Rikku.  “Aaron and Tidus aren’t here, by the way.  They’re inside.”

Rikku felt her face flushing, nodding casually.  “Really.  Maybe I should…”  She thumbed over her shoulder, trying to step away.

“Your partner wields the Masamune.”

Freezing, Rikku winced.  Of course.  Paine was one of the biggest sword nerds out there.  “Oh yeah?”

“Don’t oh yeah me.”  Paine glared at her.  “I thought we were friends, Rikku.  You were a Dark Knight once too.  I know that sword.  Is he who I think he is?”

Rikku bit her lip.  “If I said yeah, are you gonna send the Guardians after him?”

Paine stared at her for a long while.  Then she snorted.  “Why would I do that?  I have more important problems to deal with.  Besides, Yuna is right there.  If she hasn’t Sent him yet, then there must be a good reason he’s still around.”

“Really?”  She kept her tone light, but her heart was in her throat.  She’d always joked about losing respect points, but if she was honest about it Rikku didn’t want to have to choose between loving Auron and remaining friends with Paine.

“I won’t lie and say I’m comfortable about any of this, but your messed up love life is the last thing on my priority list right now.  Besides, Yuna’s husband is a freaking flying fortress.  Let’s face it.  Brother is the most normal person in your entire family.” 

The murmurs of the crowd rose in volume as people jostled around Yuna with cries of “Lady Yuna!” and “High Summoner!”  Paine’s assigned escorts were beginning to look harried. 

Paine pinched the bridge of her nose, once again making Rikku wonder if she was related to Auron somehow.  “I swear.  If it’s not one thing, it’s another.  Go to the locker room in the left wing.  Your weirdo friends are recuperating there.  Grab them and get out of here while you can.  I’ll explain everything to Yuna.  You can meet up again later when things have cooled down.”  She leaned over and gave Rikku a brief hug.  “Be careful.  It’s not a good time to be an Al Bhed in Luca right now.”    

“Yeah.  We’ll lay low for a little.  You be careful too.”

“Right.  Get lost.”  With a sigh, Paine turned away and drove herself into the crowd of newly-converted Yevonites, raising her voice.  “Okay!  Break it up!  Back off of Lady Yuna before I get violent!”

Seeing an opportunity, Rikku beat a hasty retreat into the stadium.  There were still some stragglers evacuating, but for the most part the lobby was filled with Guardians running back and forth, trying to do their jobs.  The stares she received were significantly less hostile than the ones on the streets outside.

She hurried to the locker room – the one the Psyches had been using, she noted – and burst through the door.  Auron was kneeling next to Tidus, who was stretched out over a bench on his stomach.  Auron’s hands were spread over Tidus’s shoulders, glowing with the tell-tale signs of a Cure.

“Oww!” Tidus groaned miserably, his face buried into his arms.  “Can’t you be a little more careful?  That hurts!”

“You’re the one who chose to turn Yuna into a living saint.  Again.”  Auron gave Tidus a none-too-gentle shove before rising to his feet.  “You really couldn’t find another way?”

Tidus sat up, rolling his shoulders with a wince.  “Look, it worked, didn’t it?”  He gestured around the room.  “No exploding blitzball stadium!  I call that a win!”  He paused mid-wave as he spotted Rikku.  “You’re back!  What happened to Berrik?”

“I found the Pollendina and sunk it.  Berrik’s dead.”  She clenched her teeth.  “But this is still a total mess.  People out there are making the sign of Yevon again!  To Yunie!”

Auron expelled a long breath.  “Yuna decided to play along to protect Tidus.  Not many people saw what really happened in the heat of the moment.  They merely attached the appearance of that winged fortress to Yuna’s presence.”  He looked between them.  “Someone very likely saw one or the both of you transform.  We need to get out of Luca before people start asking questions.”

Rikku nodded.  “That’s what Paine said.  We have to go.”  As she spoke, she adjusted her hair and eyes to a nondescript brown.  Auron frowned at her, but didn’t argue.  She planted her hands on her hips and looked at Tidus.  “Hey.  You too.”

Tidus slumped over the bench, crossing his arms petulantly.  “I don’t want to leave Yuna.  Especially not now!”

“You should have thought of that before you revealed yourself to the entire world,” Auron told him.

Rikku winced, feeling some sympathy for Tidus.  “Hey, lighten up.  He saved everyone from that blast.  And it looks like you guys managed to mop up in here too.  We all did what we had to.  Berrik didn’t exactly give us a choice!”

Auron’s jaw worked as he clenched his teeth.  After a moment, he relaxed slightly.  “You’re right.  What’s done is done.”  He put his hand on Tidus’s shoulder.  “There were no good calls.  But you made the right one.”

Tidus nodded, then leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands.  “Yuna,” he mumbled.  Standing up, he walked over to one of the mirrors, staring at his reflection.  After a moment, his hair lengthened and turned a dark shade of brown.  He stared for a moment longer, then grimaced.  “I look like my old man.”

“Your head isn’t nearly big enough,” Auron told him.

“Oh, uh… by the way, Paine knows about you,” Rikku told Auron, who looked unsurprised.  “She’s okay with it.  For the moment, at least.  But, yeah.  With all the Sending Yunie still has to do, now might be a great time to leave.”  She thought of the shifting, illusory borders of Macalania Forest.  “If we can reach Macalania, Jecht can protect us.”  The words left her mouth reluctantly; Auron had only promised to stay by her side until then.  Her hope to delay the trip back had been crushed, and the eidolon stone she was carrying felt heavy in her pouch.

Auron looked at her for a long moment, clearly searching to see if she’d come up with any new ideas for him since they’d last spoken.  She shook her head slightly, and a weary, mirthless smile formed on his face.  Then he rose to his feet.  “Fine.  Let’s get out of here.”  He made for the door without looking back at her.

Tidus followed after him, just as somber.  “Great.  Jecht’s in Macalania, huh?  Bet he’ll be real happy to see me.”  His tone was laced with bitter sarcasm.

Rikku hung back, feeling too jittery to follow just yet.  She jumped as she caught sight of herself in the mirror – with her brown hair and eyes she looked like a stranger even to herself.  Reaching out, she touched the foreign reflection, her lips pursing at the brown eyes staring back at her. 

Being forced into deadly combat wasn’t that great of a surprise; her precarious escape down the icy path leading away from Macalania Temple while being actively hunted by Seymour’s personal guards at the tender age of fifteen still gave her the occasional nightmare, to say nothing of the way Berrik’s goons had thrown themselves at Auron.  Still, it’d been several years since she’d had to personally get her own hands dirty; to actually kill people, rather than simply knock them out while fighting.  More than that, it was the first time she was forced to slaughter other Al Bhed.  And all because they believed a little too much in her – or at least, what Berrik had made her family out to be.

Anger clouded her judgement on the salvage ship; now though, as she looked at the stranger in the mirror, the faces of those she’d felled returned to haunt her.  Even Berrik’s dull-eyed stare as he disappeared into the ocean’s depths made her shudder.

She shut her eyes and dug the heels of her palms into them, allowing herself to succumb to a moment of miserable self-pity.  But only for that one moment.  Lifting her head, she met the gaze of her other self and in a flare of defiance, changed her irises back to an unmistakable Al Bhed green.  “We’ll get through this.  I won’t let anyone write my endings for me anymore.”  Exhaling deeply, she squared her shoulders and gave herself a nod of encouragement.  “Come on.  You’re Eden now.  You can do things the old Rikku never even would’ve dreamed of.  You’ve got this.”  Pushing down her gnawing doubts, she held her head high and forced herself to stride out of the room with a confidence that might not have been entirely real.

Chapter Text

“So my old man’s the one who’s making this barrier?”  Tidus landed with a thump in the middle of the crystal forest, flexing his wings one last time before they dissolved.  His cheer sounded forced, and understandably so – he was still sore about having to flee Luca and leave Yuna in Paine’s care.  He also seemed to be conflicted about the prospect of meeting his father.  “I’m surprised he hasn’t shown up yet to brag about it.”  As usual, Tidus did a poor job of hiding his hurt feelings.

Rikku touched down next to him, easing Auron to the ground.  Her exosuit retracted, and she shook out her hair, glad to have her lengthy blonde braids and ponytail back.  “Don’t be so hard on Jecht.  He’s probably sleeping right now.”

“Sleeping?”  Auron frowned.  “Is that why he wasn’t visiting the Farplane?”

“Or Besaid,” Tidus added sourly, crossing his arms.   “What’s that slacker doing, taking a vacation?”

Sighing, Rikku gestured for Auron and Tidus to follow her.  She led them into the watery clearing, which they both recognized.  “He sleeps because it’s the only way he can protect the forest.  Jecht isn’t a powerful magician like Shiva was.  He has to stay or the barrier will disappear.  That’s why he’s down there,” she said, pointing into the pool.  Then she looked at Tidus and held out her hand.  “Auron, just wait here for a minute.”

Grunting, Auron crossed his arms and leaned against a tree, watching them.

Tidus grimaced and grabbed her hand.  “We gotta wake him up, huh.”

“Yeah.  Don’t get distracted down there, okay?  And don’t let go.”  Together, they waded into the depths. 

She was gratified to see that Tidus was just as unable to adapt as she was, clearly getting wet and treading water the deeper they went.  “When we’re down there, don’t sing with your voice,” she warned him.  “The Hymn has to come from your soul.”

“How the heck do you sing with your soul?” Tidus asked, making a face.

“You just… do.  You feel it.”  She gave him an encouraging smile.  “Don’t overthink things!  Go with your feelings.”

“Right.  Feelings.  You know mine aren’t exactly great when they’re about Jecht.”

Rikku winced.  “Look.  I know what it’s like having problems with your dad.  But… you’re kinda lucky, you know.  Jecht sees you for who you really are.  And he loves you for it.  That’s…”  She swallowed.  “That’s not a privilege everybody has.  I think you should give him a chance to make it up to you.”

Tidus was silent for a moment, watching her.  Then he pulled her over and gave her a tight hug.

“Hah!” she laughed in surprise, returning it.  “Why are you being so clingy all of a sudden?”

“Because Cid’s been acting like a jerk, and I needed a hug anyway,” Tidus said, letting her go.  “No, I mean, I think we both needed that.  Here’s to having crappy dads, right?”

“No thanks!  I say here’s to finding your real family instead.  No matter who they are.” 

Tidus’s tense expression eased into a more genuine smile.  “Yeah.  Okay, I think I’m ready.”

Nodding, she took a breath and dove down, pulling him after her.

The water was unusually clear; blurry images teased the edges of her vision.  Rikku steeled herself against the deceptive illusions; she’d already nearly drowned to a fake Auron once.  It was easier to resist the pull of her own memories this time though, knowing that the real thing was watching and waiting for her to return.

Tidus, on the other hand, didn’t have much forewarning.  He tugged at her hand, and Rikku turned, fully expecting to see a vision of Yuna in her old Pilgrimage outfit.  Instead, she was surprised by the sight of a woman around her age looking at Tidus beseechingly.  Her hair was reddish-brown and her clothing strangely cut in a style Rikku didn’t recognize.  Her eyes were glimmering with tears, and she held her hands out.  “Don’t leave me too!”  Her thin, high voice carried through the water.

Something in the woman’s forlorn plea struck at Rikku.  Tidus lunged towards the stranger, reaching out, and the woman let out a soft sob.

“Please,” the woman wept.  “My sunshine, my baby boy...  Don’t go!  It’s too painful being left behind again…”

Like a crack of lighting, Rikku recognized her own emotions reflected through Tidus’s mother.  This is how I felt about Auron.  Am I just like her?  Luring Auron to his death with my own pain?  Discomfited, she swam after Tidus; he was veering hard off-course.

She managed to catch his sneaker and yanked him backwards, grabbing onto his flailing arm.  Tidus whirled and glared at her, ready to break free, but stopped when he saw her expression.  She shook her head once.  Her grip eased only when she felt his muscles relax.  He turned his head back towards the memory, staring at his mother.

A thought struck her as they watched the phantom disappear.  That was obviously Anne, the wife Jecht had spoken of with as much fondness as his son.  Even Auron had fallen in love with her during his time in Zanarkand.  There was still a lingering jealousy when Rikku thought about it, but it seemed self-defeating to feel envy for a woman who had already died… or perhaps never really existed in the first place.  More intense was her shame at what she’d forced Auron into; the loneliness he must have felt after losing both his friends and his dream in Spira.  There was also a wistful regret that she’d never be able to meet the person who’d managed to shake the hearts of two of her best friends.  She must have been something else.

Jecht never revealed much of Anne, but it was clear he still missed her.  She’d died long before he was able to pull anyone out of Dream Zanarkand; Rikku wondered if he’d even known that she was already gone when he came to rescue Tidus.  It certainly made him double-down on making Tidus real afterwards, at least.  Rikku considered the visions and desires that revealed themselves only in the water’s depths, and of the time Jecht spent dreaming. 

Where tears were shed over fate most cruel. 

She’d first thought the forest spirit had meant Yuna and Tidus, and then herself and Auron, each of them mourning over their ill-fated love for one another.  Now she wondered if Pukutak had been speaking of Jecht all along.  Those feelings aren’t tied to single persons, Braska once told her.  Jecht slept, forever surrounded by his most treasured and painful memories.  Maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that her friend had chosen to place his stone in the deepest depths of the memory pool.  As foolish as he acted at times, Jecht had never been dumb.  They all clearly knew of his loyalty to his wife and his regret over what he’d done to Spira during his time as Sin.

You’re more like Braska than you think, you big idiot.  Stop avoiding your happiness… and your son.

Rikku dropped her hand down to Tidus’s elbow and squeezed.  He drifted aimlessly for a few moments, glowering into the dark depths below his feet.  Finally, he clapped his hand around her forearm, his expression easing into something gentler – though still deeply upset.  Releasing her, he let her lead him back towards the faint glow at the bottom of the pool.

When they reached Jecht’s Fayth stone, they both stopped to stare.  The runes pulsed rhythmically, almost like a slow and steady breath.  Though there was no sign of Jecht himself, they could both sense him lying dormant within the sculpture.  Tidus glared at it and crossed his arms.

Blowing out a bubble, Rikku faced the stone and stretched her hands out.  Tidus watched her, looking perturbed.  She began to sing the Hymn in her heart, addressing the Fayth.  The sound drifted through the water and gained power, thankfully more in-tune than her real voice would ever be.  After a moment, Tidus unfolded his arms and reached for her hand.  The voice of his soul joined hers softly, unwillingly at first.  She strengthened her own song, encouraging him to join in, and he gained confidence.  Tidus clutched her tightly as he sung, as if she was a lifeline preventing him from sinking into the depths.

Their voices combined into a haunting melody that spread through the water, growing louder and louder.  A third voice joined them; Jecht’s rich baritone.  The light surrounding the Fayth stone fluctuated and he woke from his dream.  His body slipped out from the stone, translucent as glass.  His hands were folded over his chest.  As his figure solidified, his eyes flew open and locked on to Tidus.

Tidus’s song cut off abruptly.  He stared at his father, looking just as lost as Jecht did in that moment. 

Jecht recovered first.  His lips twisted up into an arrogant smirk.  “Don’t tell me the both of ya are still holdin’ your breath?  Hah!  Kids these days,” he laughed, shaking his head in disbelief, his voice carrying clearly to them as if he wasn’t underwater.

Rather than replying, Tidus’s face twisted into a scowl.  Jerking away, he swam for the surface, leaving them both behind in a swirl of bubbles.

Shoulders dropping, Jecht sighed and ran a hand through his hair.  “Damn it.  I shoulda kept my big mouth shut.”  He turned to look at her, his expression raw and pained.

Jecht was right, but she wasn’t about to tell him that; there was no need to rub salt in the wound.  Besides, she was still holding her breath.  Swimming forward, Rikku tapped him gently on the shoulder and pointed upwards.  Then she tilted her head, inviting him to follow, and made for the surface of the pool.

By the time she broke through, Tidus was already scrambling to his feet in the shallows, shaking the water out of his hair.

“What is it?” Auron asked, tracking Tidus’s foul expression.

“It’s my old man down there alright.  Same asshole he’s always been.”

“Don’t say that!”  Rikku climbed onto the shore and wrung out her braids, accepting the jacket Auron dropped onto her shoulders.  “Jecht’s always been awkward with his feelings.  He just doesn’t know how to show he loves you.”

“Yeah, right,” Tidus grumbled, refusing to turn around.

Jecht floated out of the water, landing on top of it perfectly dry.  He looked at Tidus, his mouth opening and closing.  His hands clenched into fists as he glanced away.  “Why’d you bring him here, Blondie?” he asked under his breath.

“Running away?” Auron asked, and Jecht’s head shot up as he finally caught sight of the other man.

“Auron!  Ya stiff, I missed you!”  He jogged over and snatched Auron away from her, crushing him in a hug tight enough to make Auron grunt in surprise.  “How’ve ya been, man?”

Awkwardly Auron returned the hug, patting Jecht on his back.  His voice was warm, though.  “Varying degrees of dead, my friend.”  His eye met Rikku’s over Jecht’s shoulder and he shifted, turning Jecht towards Tidus.  “But shouldn’t you be giving this warm reception to someone else?”

Releasing Auron, Jecht faced his son.  “Yeah, uh.  Hey.  Tidus.”  He rubbed the back of his head.  “You got even bigger since I last saw ya.  You’re not a scrawny lil’ runt anymore!”

Tidus didn’t move, his arms crossed and still submerged to his ankles in the pool.  His shoulders hunched.  “Hey Jecht.”  He sounded petulant as he raised one hand in a half-hearted wave, refusing to turn around and face them.

Jecht’s overly-bright smile dropped and he wilted.  Swallowing, he marched over to Tidus and stood by his side, mirroring his pose and staring out into the forest.  “Look.  That ain’t what I wanted to say to you first thing after all these years.  My mouth… sometimes it don’t connect with my brain too well.  I’m sorry.”  He turned his head slightly, looking down at Tidus; he was still taller than his son.  Tentatively, he reached out and put a hand on Tidus’s arm.  “I missed you.  An’ I never meant to make you cry.”

“I’m not crying!” Tidus fired back immediately, wresting his arm out of Jecht’s grip and stepping away.  He turned to face his father and an uncomfortable silence descended between the two of them.

Rikku reached out and gripped Auron’s hand tightly, feeling like a fly on the wall as the tension crackled.   She eyed Auron, catching his attention, and waggled her eyebrows.  Should we step in and stop them from fighting?

Auron’s shake of the head was nearly imperceptible.  Don’t interrupt them.  He jutted his chin out towards them.  They need this confrontation.

Nodding reluctantly, she turned to watch Jecht and Tidus face off.

Tidus was the first to speak.  “This is too weird.  You don’t look like a father.”  He scowled.  “You look exactly the same as you always have.  Jecht, star player of the Zanarkand Abes.  And I’m still just the loser standing in your shadow, waiting for you to notice me.”  His voice was full of derision… and hurt.

“Damn it!”  Jecht clapped his hands together, and his hair and beard instantly turned an alarming shade of white.  “I’m still yer old man first, and my boy ain’t no loser!  This any better?”

Tidus stared for a moment in shock, then hung his head and let out a groan.  “That— your face is not the reason I’m mad at you, dad!  Geez, why do you always have to be so dense?!”

That seemed to thaw the ice that had been developing between them.  Jecht bull-rushed Tidus, who let out a yell of surprise as he was engulfed in a crushing hug.

“Ya called me dad!”  Jecht’s voice sounded wet and weepy.

Tidus’s expression of disgruntlement faded, his own eyes going suspiciously wet.  “Well what else would you be?” he complained as he returned the hug.

Auron tugged at her hand.  “Now it’s time for us to leave,” he murmured, a hint of a smile on his face.

“Five years!” she heard Tidus yelling in outrage, finally shoving Jecht off as she and Auron retreated.  “You couldn’t find the time to visit me and Yuna even once just because we beat you down?  You’re such a sore loser!”

“’ey!  Does Yuna call me dad too?!”

Auron winced.  “How does he so consistently miss the point?”

“It’s Jecht,” she giggled.  “Missing the point to hit you in the feels is what he does.”

“Hnn.  They’ll be fine,” Auron agreed after a moment of observing the two men struggle.

Rikku felt a hint of jealousy as she watched Jecht dodge Tidus’s grab, only to reverse the tackle and hug his son again.  “Yeah.  Let’s go.”  Sensing her mood, Auron wrapped his arm around her shoulder and guided her away from the feuding family.  Quietly, they slipped away into the forest.

.x.x.x.

Settling against one of the higher branches on a massive tree trunk, Auron looked out over the canopy.  The sun was setting, its light refracting through the many crystals growing in the forest. It caught upon the glassy shards floating in the cooling evening air, winking and dancing like brilliant fireflies.  Everything was bathed in pale shades of lavender and gold, softening his harsh profile.

Rikku watched him while resting her chin on her knees, waiting for him to speak.  When he finally did turn to her, his face was unguarded, his mouth twisted into a melancholy frown.

“I don’t know what I am anymore.  A man?  Or a fiend?”  He reached out and ran a hand down the length of her calf.  “I am losing myself.  Yet still, I want to be with you.  To stay in Spira and experience this new world.”  He dipped his head.  “I am no longer a hot-headed boy chasing after dreams, Rikku.  I know what I want, but I also know what the right thing to do is.  This temptation haunts me.”

She shivered at the hint of darkness that passed behind his eye.  Reaching out, she caught his hand and braided her fingers through his.  Steeling herself, she tried to let him see her own doubts and fears.  If he really was going to leave her, she didn’t want their last moments to be steeped in her own false bravado.  She wanted to give him the same vulnerable honesty he was showing her; she wanted him to see her as she really was. 

“I don’t know if I did the right thing, inviting you here.”  She lifted his hand and brushed his scarred knuckles with the faintest touch of her lips.  “I feel so guilty about all of this.  Not just about letting the world get to this point.  I mean especially about you, Auron.  You’re falling apart, and it’s my fault.  It’s always been my fault.”  She dropped her forehead against his hand.  “I guess I’m just really good at breaking things.”

Auron’s dry chuckle surprised her.  “You give yourself too much credit.”  He sighed.  “The truth of the world is what made me unravel.  You are the one who stitched me back together again.”  His look was searing, and more than just a little intimidating.  “You gave me something to believe in when I was searching for meaning in my life.”

“You can’t find meaning for your own life in other people, though.  It took meeting you to teach me that,” she told him.  “I’m scared.  That I’m failing at life.  Because… I don’t want to do any of this without you.  I’m not strong like you are.  I can’t smile and put up with going forward, knowing that you won’t be at my side walking with me.”  She laughed, feeling herself tearing up.  “It’s the one thing you tried to tell me, but the only lesson I still haven’t learned.”

“Obviously because I was a poor teacher and a hypocrite.”  Auron flipped her hand over.  “I struggle to follow my own advice.”  His eyes were trained on the veins in her wrist, his thumb brushing over her skin again and again.  “I find myself wishing I had trained to be a Summoner instead of a Warrior-Monk.  Maybe then I could have taken Braska’s place.”  He lifted his eye to hers.  “To be the one who stays with you throughout all eternity.  He’s gone, and yet I am still jealous of him.  Because I want to be a part of you.  If I must lose myself, then I want to lose myself in you.”  He shook his head.  “I am not strong at all.”

“Then stay with me!” she burst out.  “We can be weak together!  Why do you have to leave now?  We can find a way!  If we stay behind the barrier in the forest, then you won’t have to fight anyone ever again, and then you won’t –!”

“I don’t lose myself to violence.”  Auron squeezed her wrist tightly, silencing her.  “I lose myself to my emotions.  My humanity slips away when I feel too strongly.”  He drew her closer to him, trapping her against his chest.  “You make me feel strongly.  You are the color in my monochrome world.  I won’t give you up again,” he said fiercely.  “I have tasted what it means to truly live, and now I want to feel.”  His hands traveled down her sides, stopping on the tops of her thighs.  His fingers dug into her flesh, punctuating his words.  “You’ve burned away the numbness and the confusion that have shrouded my life.  You remind me of what it means to be alive simply by existing.  The only reason I hold myself back is because I fear hurting you.”  The bruising pressure of his fingers eased up, as if he’d realized what he was doing.  “But how long can I control myself?  How long before I hurt you again?”  He leaned down and kissed her, searching and desperate.

She drank in his zealous passion; it was more than just lust.  It was his all-consuming search, his need to feel alive again; the yawning gap between his existence as an Unsent and the actual experience of the living.  He wanted to move through time again with her; he wanted to be mortal.

She recognized it because she felt it, too.  Not as keenly as Auron did, but aeons weren’t completely mortal either.  They took on the title of gods because they couldn’t age and die as the rest of Spira did.  It was that prospect of walking down the corridor of eternity, every hand that she grasped onto crumbling to dust as she moved on, that scared her the most.  Yuna, Brother, Paine, Gippal… she knew she would lose them all.  It made her want to hold onto Auron all that much tighter.

His questing hands turned into searing brands that trailed over her entire body, memorizing the shape of her.  Her own fingers threaded through his hair and grabbed on tightly, as if she could trap him against her permanently.  He was kissing her as though it would be the last time, and as much as she was melting into his attentive ministrations a part of her was slowly filling with cold dread.  She pulled away reluctantly.  He shuddered against the loss of her, squeezing his eye shut.

“I thought it wasn’t possible to die twice,” he ground out, tortured.

“How can we want the exact same thing and still disagree?” she whispered brokenly, wrapping her arms around his waist.

“I will never stop loving you.  But I can choose to stop hurting you,” Auron replied.

She turned her face into his chest and breathed him in, waiting for the stabbing pain in her heart to dull enough to speak again.  “Don’t you dare go anywhere before you see Jecht again.  You’re the one who found the eidolon.  You have to give it to him, at least.”

“Of course.”  He kissed her again, this time with a gentleness that made her ache.  “As ridiculous of a duty it was that you gave me, it is still mine to fulfill.”  He pushed her back carefully.  “I will allow this pretense to continue until the very end.  It serves my own needs.”  His finger traced down her cheek.  “But then our shared dream must end.”

.x.x.x.

They returned to the sound of Tidus and Jecht amicably sniping at one another.  It wasn’t nearly as intense as when they’d started; both of them were sprawled around the memory pool, lazily trading banter.

Jecht sat up and waved them over.  “You’re back!  I really thought you two would take a lil’ more time to practice yer horizontal mamba before showin’ up again,” he smirked, leering.

“Ugh!”  Tidus covered his face with his hands.  “Will you shut up?  Auron’s still my other dad!”

Jecht’s raucous laughter died out as he watched them approach.  “Oy.  Why the long faces?”

At his sober tone, Tidus sat up, first looking at her, and then Auron.  His eyes widened, and his voice turned incredulous.  “You’re leaving us?  Now?”

Auron released her and approached them, kneeling by Tidus.  He placed a hand on the blond’s shoulder.  “It has been my honor to act as your guardian.  But your real father has returned to you, and I have been here for far too long.”  At Tidus’s crestfallen expression, he smiled faintly.  “Do not worry.  I promised Rikku I would stay until this mission is over.”

“That’s not fair!”  Tidus scowled.  “It’s like you came back just to say goodbye.  What about Rikku, huh?”

“Hey,” she said softly, squatting by Jecht’s side.  “It’s Auron’s decision to make, not mine.  So I’m gonna let him do what he wants.”

“Good goin’, Blondie,” Jecht told her affectionately, looping an arm over her shoulders and pulling her in.  “I know it hurts, but you’re doin’ the right thing.”

“How could you say that?” Tidus sputtered, glaring at Jecht.

Jecht smiled wearily at Tidus.  “Why not?  I was just like our girl here.  I fought hard and dragged you outta Zanarkand kickin’ an’ screamin’.  All just so you could do the same thing Auron is right now.  We gotta choose our own fates in the end, e’en if ends up hurtin’ the people we care about.”

Tidus fell silent, looking away.

“Rikku,” Auron said to her.

“Yeah,” she sighed, reaching into her pouch and pulling out the eidolon stone.  The ruby gleamed softly in the evening light, dormant in her hands.  She could still feel the thin thread of magic coiled within it; the eidolon slumbered.  Carefully, she passed the stone to Jecht.  “So what’s your plan?”

Jecht was silent for a long moment, staring at the hard-won ruby.  Reverently, he stroked a finger down its length.

“Tell me,” Auron said after a few more suspicious moments of silence passed.  “Do you actually have any idea of how to use that?”

Jecht laughed loudly.  Too loudly.  “Well, ‘bout that, see…”

Auron dropped his head.  “Jackass.”

Tidus’s face matched Rikku’s own; Jecht flinched from the incredulous looks they sandwiched him between.

“Oh boy,” Tidus groaned.

“You mean to say you sent us on a wild monkey chase?” she squawked, watching Jecht turn the stone this way and that, peering into it.

“I mean, I can feel somethin’ inside it, but I can’t figure out how to get it out.”  He lifted the stone to his ear, shaking it, and Rikku was reminded that for all of his castings of Hastega, Jecht still hadn’t mastered nearly as much magic as she had – which wasn’t saying much.

“Give me that!” she hissed, snatching the gemstone out of his hands.  “You’re gonna break it.”  Carefully, she placed it on the ground.  The four of them gathered around the stone, watching it.

“Well, if you could summon an eidolon by staring at it long enough, it would have already arrived,” Auron observed dryly.

“I dunno.”  Tidus squinted.  “I think I can feel something in there.  But it’s sleeping!”

Jecht crossed his arms, his stare intensifying.  “Blondie, help me out here.  You’re the one with all the brains!”

Gaping, she gestured at the stone.  “Like I have any idea of what to do!  I’m not a summoner!”  Silence fell as two and a half pairs of eyes landed on her.  “… What?”

“You sealed the entrances to the Farplane,” Auron pointed out.

“You sealed Auron,” Tidus added.

“Braska don’t visit me the way he does with you.”  Jecht turned a pleading look onto her.  “Look, if anybody here can do this, it’s you.  Try callin’ him out or somethin’!”

“Are you serious?”  By the looks they were giving her, she could see they were.  “I can’t just snap my fingers and summon Braska like he’s a node on a Garment Grid!  He’s not even a complete person in here!”  She pointed at her head.

Jecht frowned, looking thoughtful.  “Wait a sec, I think you’re on to somethin’ there.”

Rikku’s mouth snapped shut.  “What do you mean?”

“I mean I got an idea!”  Jecht grabbed the stone and stood up.  He held a hand out to her, pulling her to her feet.  “C’mon, follow me to the pool.”

She stepped into the water while Jecht stepped onto it.  He stopped and clucked his tongue at her.  “Naw.  You gotta stop thinkin’ like Rikku for a minute.  You’re Eden now, so you try walkin’ like her.”  He tugged on her arm and she landed on the surface of the water, waves splashing out underneath her boots.

“I can do it on my own.”  Closing her eyes, she tried to forget about sinking or that it was water below her feet.  Soon, she felt the thrum of the pyreflies – twisting through the air, running through the ground, and drifting through the waters below.  Unsurprisingly, they were most densely concentrated in the pool surrounding the central tree.  Letting go of Jecht’s hand, she took a few steps on her own without falling through, gaining more confidence.  “So what’s your big idea?”

“Well, ya said you could make Braska show up in Zanarkand ‘cause there were enough pyreflies there, right?  But he wasn’t real, since ya only had a part o’ his soul.”  Jecht crouched, pushing his hand through the memory water.  “We got plenty o’ pyreflies right here, and I got the other half o’ his soul.”  He looked up at her.  “Sounds like a recipe for success to me.  Let’s try callin’ him out together!”

Rikku sucked in her breath, her heart stuttering in her chest.  “A chance to see Braska again… the real one?”  She dropped to her knees and dipped her fingers under the surface of the water.  Rather than wetness, she cast out with her other senses, feeling instead the soft glow of pyreflies floating around her hand.  Now that she was looking for them, she could see that they glowed nearly as brightly as the stream twisting above Zanarkand.  The water contained them in quantities so thickly concentrated that it was capable of retaining the memories of all who allowed themselves to become submerged.  She delved through the pyreflies and felt Jecht’s fingers close around her wrist.

“So how do we do this?” he asked.

“Think of him,” she murmured, staring into the water.  “Think of how much you want to see him.  Just one more time.”

“I get ya.”  Jecht took a deep breath, looking into the water with her.  “I know you’re in there somewhere, B.”    

Moonlight rippled over the surface of the pool.  Jecht stopped talking, his breathing falling into sync with hers.  Rikku felt the pulse of her heartbeat mirroring his.  Time and space slowed as they were hypnotized by the swirling lights in the depths of the water.

One minute, they were alone, and the next, Braska was simply there, standing next to them.  There was no grand display of power, no summoning circles or flashing lights.  It was as if he’d always been there between them; his arrival was as unassuming as his simple manner of dress.

That didn’t stop Auron and Tidus from reacting when they realized Braska had appeared.  They both scrambled to their feet, shock written across their faces.

 “No way!”  Tidus gasped.

“Braska?”  Auron’s eye was wide.

Braska leaned down, his arms circling around both her and Jecht.   “Thank you,” he murmured, releasing them and sitting back on his heels.

“Whoa.” Jecht sounded awed.  “This is trippy.  So are ya really here, B?”

He smiled faintly.  “As much as I can be.  And I am more complete than I’ve felt in years.  Thank you, my friends.”

“Does that mean you’re like… a brand new person?” Rikku asked cautiously, the color rising on her cheeks.  Does this Braska even know about what we did together in Zanarkand?

Braska turned his head slightly, his blue eyes crinkling as he smiled at her.  “Jecht… I fear I must apologize for my rudeness.”  His intent became clear when he leaned between them and twisted towards her, cupping Rikku’s cheek with his palm.

“What the mmpfh!” she squeaked, her protest cut off by Braska’s open-mouthed kiss.  His arms wrapped around her waist and bent her backwards; she flailed a little bit, tightening her hold around Jecht’s wrist so she wouldn’t fall over. 

“Uhh, B?  You know Auron’s gonna kill ya again…” Jecht coughed behind them, but Braska ignored him completely.

Instead Braska took the opportunity of using her surprise to let his tongue dance along hers, teasing her relentlessly.  He had the audacity to actually purr against her in satisfaction.  Finally he pulled her upright, drawing back with a soft nip at her lower lip.  Observing her flushed face and stuttered breathing with a knowing look, he loosened his grip.  “You are as lovely as ever, Rikku.”  His fingers ghosted along the shell of her ear and her neck as he straightened, sending a shiver down her spine.

“S-so… you… me… and Zanarkand?” she managed to sputter, feeling the weight of Auron’s glare on her back and trying to ignore the choking sounds Tidus was making.

Braska ran a thumb along his lower lip, wiping it dry, and then licking it for good measure.  “Mm hmm,” he hummed, still smiling pleasantly.  “But this is better.  Jecht’s imagination is so much more graphic than your own.  I could get used to it.”

Rikku leaned over and looked around him, glaring at Jecht.  “Wait, this Braska is your fault?!”

“’Ey!  I ain’t the one who smashed him!”  Jecht scowled at her.  “’Sides.  You know how hard it was travelin’ with the three o’ you horndogs back then?  I shoulda got a medal for puttin’ up with it!”

“I do apologize,” Braska repeated, and he almost sounded sincere.  “Perhaps it would be best if Auron, Rikku and I could work out our differences now, before we cause Jecht or Tidus any more discomfort—”

“I didn’t call you back to Macalania for an orgy!” Rikku screeched.  Her voice echoed through the canopy, sending a few roosting birds flying.  Wincing, she glanced back at the shore.

Auron had dropped his face into his hand and was trembling.  She couldn’t tell if he was laughing or preparing to enact violence on the rest of them.

Tidus was a little more expressive; he was running in place, his face beet red.  “Arg!”  He didn’t hold back when he saw them looking, either.  “All of you are dads!  My dads!  Stop kissing Rikku!  You’re giving me permanent psychic damage!  How would you like it if I made out with Yuna in front of all of you, huh?”

“You wouldn’t live long enough to find out,” Rikku muttered under her breath, thinking of Yuna’s reaction.

“I am sorry,” Braska repeated, and he sounded much more sincere as he turned to face Tidus, his face warming with affection.  “Tidus!  To finally meet you, at last… thank you for loving Yuna and protecting her on her journey.”  Though his voice was soft, it carried clearly over the water.

Tidus stopped his frenzied hopping, trading in his indignation for bashfulness.  He scrubbed the back of his neck, the exact same nervous tic as his father.  “Y-yes, sir.  I, uh.  Sorry I didn’t ask first before marrying Yuna.  Sir.  Braska.  Lord.”  He punctuated his rambling with an uncertain bow.

Braska chuckled.  “You requested permission from Rikku.  That was good enough for me.”  He tilted his head.  “And you more than proved yourself during Yuna’s Pilgrimage.  I couldn’t be more proud to have such a devoted son-in-law.  Please, raise your head.  Anyone whom Yuna loves is family to me.”

Tidus straightened, genuine relief and happiness showing on his face.  “So why don’t you guys come over here?”  He glanced over his shoulder at Auron, who at least had stopped shaking.  “I think you broke Auron.”

“Right,” Jecht said, preparing to roll to his feet.  He stopped when Braska whirled and grabbed both his and her arms, holding them together.

“That may be difficult.  You mustn’t let go of one another.”  Braska looked between Rikku and Jecht, keeping his hands over their clasped wrists.  “I’ll break apart again when the two of you do.”

“Oh,” Rikku said, suddenly understanding their creation’s fragility.  It was swiftly followed by her crushing disappointment.  He still isn’t really real.  At least, not in Spira.

Jecht’s face had also dropped, but he gripped her arm that much more tightly as he stood.  “Tidus!” he yelled.  “Get Auron out here.  You’re an aeon, boy.  Act like one.”

There was a moment of silence, and then the sound of footfalls; Rikku looked over her shoulder to see Tidus, his face scrunched in concentration, leading Auron to them.   Auron walked closely behind him; though his boots sunk into the surface of the pool, they held fast rather than dropping through into the depths.

Whatever anger Auron felt at Braska’s teasing had vanished into a more open look of regret; he’d heard what Braska had said.  Stopping before him, his good eye scanned the other man’s face.  “I… am sorry I failed you.”

Braska shook his head slightly, wrapping his arms around Auron in a loose embrace.  “And I am sorry I caused you such pain.”  He drew back with a smile.  “But that is old news, and this is a new Spira.  Let go of that sorrow, as the rest of the world has.  And though I came because they wished for my help…”  His eyes softened.  “I’m glad you stayed, Auron.  I haven’t seen you in so long.  I missed you.”

He rested his forehead against Auron’s, as he had done so long ago in the Calm Lands.  “Perhaps it is Rikku’s terrible influence.  But I am still hopelessly in love with you, too.  I am telling you plainly, my friend, for there is no place for regrets in the limited time I’ve been granted to see you.”

Auron flinched, but didn’t break away.  “I can’t… love you in the same way,” he managed.  “You will always be my best friend, but my heart—”

“… belongs to Rikku.”  Braska smiled faintly.  “I know.”  The smile turned into a curving smirk.  “I don’t suppose your terrible guilt at rejecting my confession would allow me to –”

Auron grunted and stepped back, slapping Braska’s wandering hand away.  He turned to look at Rikku.  “How did you put up with this?”

Rikku giggled, feeling something in her relax at Auron’s acknowledgement of Braska’s feelings… for both of them.  “Well you know, I just caved in and slept with—”

“So about that eidolon!” Tidus shouted loudly.  “Now that we have a professional here, can we get that thing out of the ruby?”

Jecht held the gemstone up, handing it off to Braska.  “Yeah, man.  I’m shit at holding this barrier together.  Macalania will fall apart if I stop dreamin’, and the spirits are gonna fade away.  I need some help here.”

Braska inspected the ruby, a frown marring his face.  “I learned of these in the forbidden scriptures.  Eidolons, the spirit guardians of Zanarkand.  An appropriate choice if you’re looking to protect the forest; they were indeed used as barriers and shields during the Great Machina War.  But this creature is not an aeon.  I’m not entirely sure if a summoner is meant to take any part of it into their own soul.”

“So… it’s no good?” Rikku asked, crestfallen.

Braska’s frown transferred from the ruby to her.  “I didn’t say that.  It means I have to find a different way to summon it.  I can’t simply lay out my soul as an offering and beckon to it.  And I certainly can’t control it.”  His frown morphed into a melancholy smile.  “Besides.  It is no longer my soul to offer.”

“’ey,” Jecht said firmly.  “We’re a team here.  Whatever it takes, you got it.  I didn’t e’en have a soul before you gave me some o’ yours.  You do what you need to with mine.”

Rikku nodded in agreement.  “I’d be gone if you hadn’t changed me into an aeon.  And I wanna help, too.  The spirits deserve better than this!”

Pausing, Braska looked at the both of them with gratitude.  “Thank you.  Then… I’ll do my best.” 

Chapter Text

Braska studied the ruby in his hand, his face clouded with thought.  Finally, he looked up at them.  “I hope you can bear with me.  This will be a bit of an experiment on my part as well.”  Lowering his head, he expelled a long breath and seemed to settle himself. 

Auron tugged Tidus back.  “We need to give him space so he can bond with the eidolon.  Let’s return to the shore to wait.”

Rikku turned to follow them but stopped abruptly; her feet wouldn’t move.  Surprised, she looked back at Jecht, who’d also stopped in his tracks.

“I don’t think we’re goin’ anywhere, Blondie.”

She returned to flanking Braska without conscious thought.  “What’s going on?” she whispered, confused.

“Don’t worry.  I know what this is.  Don’t fight it,” Jecht told her confidently, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck.

“Huh-oh?”

Rikku blinked in surprise as Braska held the jewel up and her own hands followed the motion.  She and Jecht echoed his movements perfectly, their joined hands raised high.

Braska took no notice, focused on the jewel.  “Come now, eidolon.  You’ve slept for too long,” he said to it.  “Wake for me.”  He began to move across the surface of the water in long, elegant steps.  She and Jecht followed closely behind, their bodies unnaturally synchronized with each of Braska’s motions.

He tried several different moves, staring at the stone the entire time.  They whirled over the surface of the water at different tempos, performing bits and pieces of various aeon summoning dances.  

Rikku caught glimpses of Auron from the corner of her eye as they moved.  It had been five years since the remnants of Braska’s soul fractured completely on the Farplane; five years since Jecht disappeared into Macalania Forest without a word.  Five years since he’d gently pushed her back into Spira to live a life without him. 

Now they were all together again, if just briefly.  It should have been a joyous moment, this reunion after so many years.  Instead, Auron was left standing on the shore, unable to join in.  All he could do was watch from afar.  His eye landed on her, meeting her helpless gaze, and he smiled wryly.  She wanted to reach for him, but Braska was already moving again, pulling her away.

“How long do you think this is going to take?” she asked Jecht.

“What, tired of bein’ B’s backup dancer already?”  Jecht sounded amused.  Though he was performing the exact same motions, he looked a lot more relaxed about being put through Braska’s paces.

Rikku let out a half-hearted laugh, still surprised by the movements of her own body.  “That’s not it.  It’s just… I wanted to spend a little more time with Auron.”

Jecht’s smile dropped.  “I get it.  But it’s not like he or Braska can stick around permanently.”  His hand squeezed her wrist.  “The three of you got a raw deal.  I wish I could fix it for ya, I really do.”

She shook her head, smiling wanly at him.  “No, it’s okay.  At least you brought Tidus here.  And I know Braska’s grateful because it made Yuna happy.  In the end, he wanted that more than anything else.”

“Yeah.  But it’d be nice for once if makin’ somebody happy didn’t mean makin’ someone else sad.”

Braska lifted his arms, and her own jerked upwards alongside Jecht’s, cutting off their conversation awkwardly.  After a moment, their hands lowered.  “At least it isn’t painful!  This is nothing like when Yunalesca did this to me.”

“I guess that’s ‘cause you trust B.”  Jecht grinned at her.  “’Sides, I don’t think he’s doin’ it to us on purpose.  I bet he don’t even know we’re here right now.”  He nodded at Braska, who was repeating the same few steps over and over again with a look of intense concentration.

“Jecht!  Look!”  The ruby in Braska’s hand was emitting a pale red light.  “It’s working!”

Braska stopped dancing and quickly walked to the shore.  Once he was in the shallows, he sunk to his knees, performing the Yevonite bow and touching his forehead to the glowing gem.  Nothing happened, but he remained still, his eyes closed. 

Bowed over in the same pose, Rikku reached out with her awareness and felt for the thread of magic within the stone.  It slowly expanded as the summoner coaxed it out.

“The war is over,” Braska crooned to the trembling wisp.  “There’s no need to fight anymore.  No one here will hurt you.”

The prickle of magic grew stronger but then withdrew back into the stone, swirling uneasily.  The ruby light pulsed and wavered.

Braska let out a soft laugh.  “I understand.  We’re all very different from those who used to call upon you.”  He cradled the flickering ruby in his palms.  “But do you not wish to wake again and taste freedom?  This forest needs you.”

A soft pop sounded, and Braska dropped the eidolon stone into the pool with a gasp of surprise.  Moments later a small creature rose out of the water.   Its fur was emerald green and the ruby that had been used to summon it was embedded into its forehead.  The little foxlike eidolon was more ears and tail than anything else.  A tiny, wet black nose quivered, and then it took a few wary steps forward.  It sniffed at Braska’s outstretched hand.  Then it looked beyond him, its head tilting in confusion between her and Jecht.

Braska scooted around to face them, hands on his knees.  “I’m sorry… I wasn’t aware that I’d force the both of you to summon it with me.”  He smiled fondly at the small animal, which was pacing between her and Jecht, whiffing at their joined hands.  “It’s not surprising that Carbuncle is ignoring me.  After all, the soul that called it out belongs to the both of you.  My body was merely the tool.”

“Carbuncle?” Rikku asked, melting a little under the soulful black eyes that were staring up at her.

“That is what it called itself.”  Braska smiled.  “The summoning is not yet complete, though.  The two of you need to accept the eidolon into your souls to bond with it.  Only then will you be able to call it at will.”

Tearing herself away from Carbuncle, she frowned at Braska.  “I thought you weren’t sure if you were supposed to do that with eidolons!”

Braska shrugged.  “I honestly don’t know.  This was always how the bond with aeons was traditionally formed.  I apologize, but it’s the only method I know of anchoring a spirit outside of its stone to this world.”

Jecht scratched the fox behind its ears, a look of wonder on his face.  “This is way better than a dog!”  He cooed at Carbuncle, trying not to startle it.  “Whaddaya say, lil’ guy?  You wanna be a part o’ old Uncle Jecht?”

Carbuncle’s tail fluffed in delight.  It sank down on its forelegs, wriggling its haunches high in the air with a few shakes of its tiny butt.  Then it sprung at Jecht.  He caught it in one arm with a whoop of delight just as a red lance of light shot out from the eidolon’s ruby and straight through his chest.  Rikku lurched forward as he fell over backwards, barely managing to keep her grip on his wrist.

“Jecht!  Are you alright?!”

After a moment, Jecht allowed her to pull him upright, still dazed.  The eidolon in his arms trilled and snuggled into the crook of his elbow.  “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.  I think it likes me!”  It was obvious from Jecht’s excitement that he was already falling in love.

“Carbuncle has you wrapped around its little toe bean.”  Rikku smirked.  Her expression faded as the eidolon opened one eye and peered at her.

“Two halves of one soul… you need to do that to me too, don’t you?”  She beckoned, and the fox wriggled out of Jecht’s arms.  It trotted over and sat before her, wrapping its tail around its legs.

“Hah!  Carbuncle likes me better than you,” Jecht bragged.

Braska shook his head.  “That’s not it.  It can simply discern the obvious.”  He met her eyes.  “Rikku is already deeply in love with someone else.  Carbuncle will never be able to gain a space in her heart.”  His smile for her was wistful.  “Nonetheless, she should accept it anyway.  It knows that despite everything, it is still welcome in her arms, after all.”

Rikku tore her eyes away from Braska and transferred her attention to the tiny creature, which was waiting for her.  She gave it a small nod.  “Okay.  Do your worst!”

Carbuncle tilted its head and the ruby flickered, its light lancing through her chest.  She let out a gasp as she felt it; not a physical piercing of her body, but a warmth that reached through to her soul.  Its presence wrapped around her, wild and strange, before vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.  An indefinable part of her felt hollowed out, though, as if the receding light had torn a chunk away from the essence of her being and kept it within itself.

She felt a pair of arms setting her upright and blinked, unaware that she’d fallen over.  Jecht was still hanging on to her arm, but when she looked up, it was Auron who’d caught her.

“Are you hurt?” he asked her.

The look of tender concern on his face made her ache in a completely different way from bonding with the eidolon.  She bit her tongue before she could blurt out Yes! to his question.  “I’m fine.  I feel a little different, though…”  She looked at Carbuncle, who’d nestled at the base of Jecht’s feet.  Tidus was kneeling by them, inspecting the eidolon.  The little green fox yipped and rolled over onto its back, exposing its stomach.  “Like I left a part of myself with it.”

Braska hummed knowingly.  “You both did.  Now Carbuncle will be able to stay with you.”

Carbuncle trilled again, this time focusing its attention on Tidus.  It wriggled towards him, still on its back, and waited expectantly.

“You’re cute,” Tidus grumbled, giving the eidolon a few half-hearted belly scritches.

Rikku eyed him with surprise.  “Huh, I thought you’d be melting all over Carbuncle the same way Jecht is.  What, is cute not your thing?”

Tidus huffed.  “Maybe.  I’m just annoyed that Jecht is showing it more affection than he ever gave me.”

“You’re too old for belly rubs,” Jecht said as he tickled the waiting eidolon in place of Tidus.  “But what makes ya think I didn’t give ‘em to you?  You were a cute lil’ runt at one point too.”  He smirked at Tidus.  “Too bad ya grew up.”

The look of surprise on Tidus’s face was priceless.  “What’re you talking about?  You were never around when I was a kid!”

Jecht snorted.  “The hell?  Of course I took off from blitzin’ when you were as tiny as this thing here,” he said, petting the now-satisfied Carbuncle.  “My very own son!  I couldn’t leave your mama all alone with you.  You were cryin’ all the time an’ reachin’ for her.  So demandin’!  You woulda made all her hair fall out if ya kept that up!  So I helped out a lil’ at home.” 

Tidus sat back on his heels, his blue eyes wide with surprise.  “You mean you took care of me when I was a baby?”

“’Course!”  Jecht laughed.  “Diapers, feedin’, the works.  You mighta been tiny, but you took a piece o’ my soul with ya when you were born, even without any flashy ruby light.”  He grinned.  “Y’know, when I picked you up for the first time you howled at me like the world was gonna end.  You wanted your mama, not my big ugly mug.  I knew then I was a goner.”  His eyes sparkled as he regarded his son, now fully grown, kneeling beside him.  “You’re still in here, ya know,” he said, thumbing his chest.  “Don’t matter even if ya get bigger than me one day.  You’ll always be my lil’ boy.  An’ ya still howl whenever you see me.”

Unable to say anything, Tidus glared at Carbuncle, blinking rapidly.  It trilled questioningly and he let out a sigh, reaching out to pet it.  “Alright, enough already.”  He didn’t look up at Jecht as he aggressively pampered the happy eidolon.  “Maybe I don’t hate you after all.”

Rikku giggled and reached for Auron with her free hand.  “That’s so sweet.  Oh, and Jecht?”

“Yeah?” Jecht answered distractedly. 

“Tidus’s final form is bigger than yours.”

Jecht froze.  This time, Tidus was the one left smirking.  “Who’s the runt now, huh?  Huh?!”

“Wings don’t count!”  Jecht yelled.  “You should turn into Alexander right now so we can compare!  Let’s go!”

Auron put a hand on Jecht’s shoulder and shoved him back down before he could stand.  “Relax.  You’re not here to destroy the forest.”

Sulking, Jecht settled down.  “Right.  Actually, that’s the thing.”  Carefully he herded Carbuncle away from Tidus.  “Look, lil’ guy.  We need your help here.  Can ya feel what I’m doin’ to the forest?”

Carbuncle rolled to its feet and tilted its head, sniffing at the air.  It opened its mouth and yawned.

Jecht drew back, frowning.  “Oy.  Why’s everybody dumpin’ on my ego today?”

Braska chuckled.  “I believe Carbuncle merely wishes to demonstrate its strength.  Why don’t you ask it politely?”

Rikku leaned over with Jecht, watching the eidolon.  “That’s it, isn’t it?” she said when its black eyes looked at her.  “No one’s ever asked it before.”  She grinned.  “I think you’re gonna get along great with Jecht.”  She nudged him with her elbow.  “Go on.”

Coughing, Jecht bowed his head to the eidolon awkwardly.  “Yeah, so, like, I got some friends here.  An’ they need me.”  Frowning, he looked up.  “C’mon you guys.  Show yourselves.”

The forest grew unnaturally still.  Rikku looked up, holding her breath.  Moments later, the sound of rushing wind filled the air.

“Whoa,” Tidus breathed as hundreds of butterflies descended from the canopy, whirling through the forest like leaves blowing in the wind.  They circled around Jecht, swooped over Carbuncle, and swept past Braska to fan out over the pool, finally ending up surrounding the central tree.  Over the water the vague, ghostly shapes of the spirits of the forest formed and melted; incomplete, yet undeniably present.

Jecht waved at them, then looked back down at Carbuncle.  “They’re nice folk, see?  But there’s so many o’ them, an’ only one o’ me.  They’ll disappear if I can’t keep the magic up an’ keep all them mortals outta here before they’re ready.  I know they look big to ya, but they’re just’ lil’ babies still, see?  They need some time to grow.”

Carbuncle turned, pacing along the edge of the pool of memory water, watching the misty forms of the spirits cavorting.  They faded into butterflies that slowly dispersed into the forest, a few lingering over the pool.  Trotting back towards Jecht, Carbuncle returned to butt its head under his hand.  Then it turned, tail lashing, and dashed over the water.  It bounded towards the tree and with one giant leap, soared high over it.

“Are you sure it isn’t part rabbit?” Tidus asked as the eidolon spun in midair, the ruby on its forehead bathing everything in shining red light.  A rush of pressure built up all around them, bursting suddenly with a whistling scream of force that whipped Rikku’s hair away from her face.  The gust blew through the entire forest, sending leaves flying.

Carbuncle landed with a thump, prancing through the remaining butterflies on the water to make its way back towards them.  It circled around Rikku and Jecht twice, skidding to a stop and yipping.

Braska leaned back on his heels, looking up.  “You can sense that, can you not?” he said to Jecht, holding a hand up to the air.  He dropped it after a moment, smiling at the eidolon.  “Small wonder that they were considered the guardians of Zanarkand.  That barrier is more powerful than anything you or I could create.” 

Carbuncle puffed up, preening in delight at the praise.

Jecht, in contrast, remained silent, his hand on his chest and his face shadowed.  “Yeah… I felt that.”

Reaching out, Braska put a hand on Jecht’s shoulder.  “It will be okay.  You can let go now.  This weight is not a burden to Carbuncle.  The spirits were correct to point you towards that eidolon.”

“Can I really though?”  Jecht’s head dipped even lower.

Braska’s hand moved to Jecht’s chin, lifting his head so their eyes could meet.  His voice was gentle, but firm.  “You’ve always chosen to carry burdens that were never yours to begin with.  Let this one go, my friend.  You did what you had to back then.  We all did.  No single person can save everyone… but you have always done your best to try.”  He released Jecht and gestured towards Tidus.  “The world is learning to forget about Sin, and you should as well.  If you still truly want to atone, then start with your son.  Your life awaits you.  Do not hide from it.”

Jecht fell silent for a few moments, his mouth tightening and his eyes watering.  “Yeah.”  He let out a gusty breath.  “Yeah.  I will, B.”

When Braska looked at her, Rikku knew their time was coming to an end.  “Dryhg oui.”

Braska tilted his head in acknowledgement, bowing to her.  “E meja du canja.”  He cleared his throat, switching to Spiran so he could address everyone else.  “I’m glad that I was able to be of some assistance.  But I imagine that the two of you are going to want your hands back at some point.”

Rikku’s fingers tightened around Jecht’s arm.  “Already?”

Braska nodded.  “There is just one thing before I go, however,” he added, glancing at Auron.  “It occurred to me as I was working to draw the eidolon out of its stone.”  His eyes went distant and he put a hand on his chest.  “When a Summoner creates a Final Aeon, the body of the sacrifice becomes its Fayth stone.  That is what became of your physical remains in the Farplane, Rikku.  But…”  Refocusing, he looked at Jecht.  “At that time, neither you nor Rikku had a body for Yunalesca to transform.  That was why she wished for Auron to become my Final Aeon.  He was the only one of you who was real.”

Jecht frowned.  “Yeah, but I got a Fayth stone, B.  It’s down there,” he said, pointing at the pool.  “You’ve seen it.”

“Yes.  Yunalesca found another way to anchor you to Spira.  I realized it upon working with Carbuncle.  I believe your existence as a Final Aeon was created in much the same way as this eidolon was.  She must have known of these guardians; perhaps she used them as a template for your unique situation.  For an eidolon to exist, the sacrifice’s original body is discarded, and then its spirit is trapped in a prepared gemstone.”  He spread his hands.  “This is all mere conjecture on my part… but I believe Yunalesca trapped your spirit in another Fayth stone, Jecht.”

“You mean you don’t know for sure?” Jecht asked incredulously.

Braska’s brow ticked.  “I beg your pardon, but I was distracted by the actual process of creating a human sacrifice.  As were you.”

Auron recoiled and Tidus jumped to his feet, startling Carbuncle.

“What?” Tidus yelled.  “What process?”

“Oy!  Cool your head, boy!”  Jecht scowled at Braska.  “We said we wouldn’t talk ‘bout it!”

Braska frowned.  “I understand your wish to protect the others, but Rikku already knows.  And we must at least speak of Yunalesca’s ritual, if we are to have a chance at saving Auron.”

Saving Auron?  Auron stilled, and Rikku’s eyes widened.  Her heart began hammering in her chest.  “You thought of something?!”

“I suspect Yunalesca was forced to channel Jecht’s consciousness into the nearest available vessel, since he was unable to provide one for himself,” Braska said.  “My guess would be that a human soul is likely too large for a simple gemstone… but aeons are not contained in gemstones, are they?  They are contained in statues.  And what is Zanarkand, but a repository of such sculptures?”

Rikku sucked in her breath, thinking of Yunalesca’s chamber.  “All those empty statues...”

Braska nodded.  “Fayth stones are not actually stones at all.  It’s not unreasonable to assume that an empty one would change its shape to reflect the spirit that it carries.”

Jecht blanched.  “Wait a sec.  Are you tellin’ me I’m catchin’ a ride to Spira in some dead guy’s corpse?!”

“To put it crudely… yes.”  Braska looked apologetic.  “I’m sorry.  There is a chance I might be wrong…”

“Why are you sorry?”  Rikku shook her head.  “No… I mean, why is it so wrong?”  She turned and yanked on Jecht’s arm.  “Weren’t you doing that already?  It’s not like you or Tidus ever had a body to begin with.  You were both always a part of the Fayth Scar.  How is this any different?”

“That don’t make me feel much better,” Jecht grumbled.

Tidus sat down heavily next to his father.  “I’ll say.”  He groaned.  “I must be doing the same thing too.  All I know is that my stone is somewhere underwater off the coast of Besaid.  I’ve never seen it.”

Jecht bumped Tidus with his shoulder awkwardly, unable to give him a hug with his arm still gripped in Rikku’s hand.  “Ain’t gonna be no reason for you to sleep for a long time.  You’ll find your stone when ya need to, so enjoy livin’ your life for now.  Don’t make Yuna cry.”

“You mean to house my soul in an empty Fayth stone.”  Auron finally spoke up.  “I am… not entirely comfortable with this idea.”

Rikku’s temper flared at the dour, defeated look on his face.  “What?  Look, I’m sorry if I’m being too Al Bhed about this,” she cut in.  “But the part of us that makes us who we are is our soul!  Not our bodies!  When those Guardians died, their souls left the world and their shells didn’t.  I don’t see anything wrong with using what they left behind to save your life.  That’s what they died for in the first place!  I think they’d be honored!”

“You can’t speak for the dead.”  Auron frowned.

“Because they’ve moved on!  And so should we!  I mean except for you.  The whole point is that we finally found a way to stop you from moving on!”  She scowled at him.  “Can’t you at least consider it?”

Auron looked away, and Rikku felt a twinge of guilt.  Mostly because she knew he was seriously entertaining the idea despite his own strict beliefs.  That alone was already telling of how desperately he wanted to stay with her beneath his reserved façade.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.  “But if there’s a chance, I’m gonna take it.  I told you… I won’t let you go so easily this time.”

Auron shook his head, returning his attention to Braska, who’d been watching their argument silently.  “Regardless of how a spirit is anchored to Spira… you’re still speaking of turning me into an aeon.  Is that even possible?”

“It may be in Zanarkand.”  Braska hummed, studying the forest.  “If Rikku and Jecht were to summon me again there, perhaps we could find a way.”  He turned back towards them, gesturing at Rikku.  “You would have died.  Your soul was caught in the moment of your death because I stopped it.  Should your Fayth stone break, your soul will be released – and it will continue its journey into the Farplane.  Only then will you truly die, just as all humans do.”

He shifted slightly to look at Auron.  “Your soul, however, remains because you refuse to continue that journey.  I know you have felt it.  Without any intervention, you will degrade until you no longer know yourself.  To remain in the world, you will need an anchor.  This is the only way I know of to save you.”

“It won’t work.”  Auron’s voice was flat, as if he was trying to douse Rikku’s fluttering hope.

“Why not?” she asked.

He continued to glare at Braska, his gaze admonishing.  “You know full well that it is not merely a body that is needed to create an aeon.  You also need a Summoner’s soul.”  His grim smile was pained.  “You have no soul left to give to me.”

“So?  That just sounds like we need to find a summoner who still has their soul to perform this ritual for Auron then, right?”  Jecht grinned.  “Couldn’t we just ask Yuna—”

“No!”

Jecht flinched as both Tidus and Braska shouted at the same time.

“You must absolutely not ask this of Yuna!” Braska repeated.

“Huh?  Why the hell not?”  He caught sight of Tidus, who was staring at the ground fiercely.  “Oh… oh, ya mean…”

Tidus’s face crumpled.  “I’m sorry but I can’t,” he groaned.  “I’m sorry, Auron!  I love her.  I can’t—  not even for you, I just can’t—”

“As I said.  This is why it’s impossible,” Auron repeated, though his voice was gentle.  “Stop crying.  I won’t ask it of either of you.  The chance that she would agree is much too great.”

Braska nodded.  “I won’t let my daughter share my fate.  We’ll have to find another way.”

Jecht had dropped his head between his knees; Carbuncle was peeping with concern, wrapping itself around his leg in an attempt to cheer the large man up.

“Look, I didn’t know,” Jecht hiccupped.  “I didn’t think ‘bout it properly.  I wouldn’t do that to Yuna.  I ain’t that much of an asshole.  You gotta believe me.”

Tidus swiped at his eyes and whacked Jecht in the shoulder.  “I know, dad.”

Auron rocked back on his heels.  “This is a terrible idea,” he ground out.  “We haven’t even begun to consider the ramifications and it is already driving a wedge through us.  It is no solution at all.”

Rikku grabbed her head; Braska’s suggestion was the closest thing to an actual plan that she’d ever had.  There had to be a way to get Auron onboard with the idea.  She shut her eyes.  Weren’t they all celebrating the success of the summoning of Carbuncle just minutes before?  Now it seemed like cold water had been dumped over them, dousing their happiness.

“It’s still better than nothing.”  Opening her eyes, she glared at Auron.  “It’s a start!”

Auron sighed heavily.  “It is a foolish plan.  And one that may put Yuna in danger.”

“I won’t let that happen,” Rikku swore.  “But you promised me that if there was even a chance, you’d stick around.  Well, this is it!  Our chance!  The last one.”  Her words caught in her throat.  “Please.  Isn’t it enough to try for it, at least?”

Braska chimed in, supporting her.  “The Farplane is eternal, Auron.  It will wait patiently for your return.  You needn’t rush back there headlong simply because you are afraid.”

Auron’s face twisted.  “You know what happened when I lost myself.  You saw what I did to her.”

“And I stopped you.”  Braska laid his hand on Auron’s forearm.  “If you trust in nothing else, know that I will protect Rikku.  Even from you.”

Jecht spoke up.  “Look, Auron.  It’s still your decision.  But that’s the thing, right?  It’s a choice.  This ain’t no one-way street.  You got more than one road to pick from, pal.”

Tidus nodded, punching the ground.  “You’re the one who never let me run away.  Take some of your own medicine already!”

Even Carbuncle let out a high trill, wanting to join in with the rest of the group.

Fighting to keep the grin off her face, Rikku looked at Auron.  “You’re part of our family.  It’s not just me… we all want you to stay.  Can’t you see that?”  She held on to him tightly.  “You don’t have to be alone anymore.”

Auron looked at each of them, and then shook his head with a quiet laugh.  “Very well.  Until Zanarkand.  I won’t leave before then.”  She could tell by the set of his shoulders that he was doing his best to discard the hope Braska had given him.  With everyone smiling at him and beckoning him to join them, though, even his legendary resolve was starting to crumble.

“Well then… I hope I shall see you again.”  Braska tilted his head, bowing.  “Be safe, Auron.  And you as well, Tidus, Jecht, Ri—”

Revenge really is sweet, she thought as she flung herself towards Braska, throwing her arm around his neck and finding his mouth with her own.  Her sloppy kiss absorbed his muffled cry of surprise.  She pulled back long enough to beam at him, ignoring Tidus’s yell of dismay and Jecht’s laugh.  “Thank you.  You asked me for help, but instead you’re the one—”

“Shh,” he said, putting his finger to her lips to silence her.  “I love him too, so do your best.  We will find a solution.  Together.”

“Yeah.  And you know… the reason you can’t replace Auron’s space in my heart is because you have your own.”  She smiled at his look of gratification, releasing him.  “Thank you, Braska.”  Words weren’t enough to convey how she felt.

Braska, of course, didn’t need words.  He simply returned her smile, his hand sliding along her arm until it met her wrist.  He pried her fingers away from Jecht and released her, his body turning translucent.

“See ya, B!” Jecht yelled as he disappeared, his shout punctuated by Carbuncle’s sharp yip.

Auron’s arms wrapped around her and Rikku giggled.  “I hope you didn’t mind.”

He buried his face into her neck.  She felt his palpable relief in the way he exhaled against her skin and his grip tightened.  “You two find the most novel ways to diffuse my jealousy,” he grumbled.  When he pulled away from her, his gaze was soft.  Sitting back, he dragged her with him into his lap.  “Perhaps this journey was worth it after all.”

“C’mon, squirt,” Jecht said, standing up.  Carbuncle wound obediently around his ankles.  He yanked on the back of Tidus’s jacket.  “You too, boy.  Those lovebirds are gonna need some alone time.”

Tidus grimaced.  “Please don’t tell me about it.”  Springing to his feet, he followed after Jecht, hands clasped over his head.  Carbuncle trotted between them, its head turning this way and that as it peered up.  “Hey, you think we can teach your new dog to blitz?”

“Now that’s the first good idea you’ve had since ya got here!”

Rikku watched them go with a fond smile, snuggling deeper into Auron’s embrace.  “If Carbuncle actually learns how to blitz, then I think I just helped create a monster.”

“You might yet still do that with me,” Auron replied.

Sitting up, Rikku turned to look at him.  “Can you stop being so pessimistic for once?  This is the first real chance we’ve got to save you.  Stop trying to make failure a foregone conclusion!”

Auron cupped her face with his hand.  “I know.  But it is difficult for me to retain hope.”  He allowed the barest hint of a smile to surface.  “You always manage to convince me to bend my own rules.”

“It’s a talent,” she said breathlessly, her eyes flashing with mischief as he leaned in.  “So what’s on your mind?  Are you actually going to take Jecht’s advice and practice your mamba?”

“Hnn.  You’re becoming entirely too comfortable publicly displaying your affection for other men before me.”  He leaned over her, shrugging off his breastplate.  “I’m going to have to do something about that.”

She grabbed onto the waistband of his pants and pulled him down with her, grinning.  “Oh really?  You’re going to make me stop flirting with Braska?  How exactly?”

“Like this,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss her.

Chapter Text

“You know, you don’t have to come with me.”  Tidus shrugged his shoulders, his wings exploding into existence from his back in a rain of golden feathers.  Shaking them out, he crossed his arms.  “I can handle myself.”

“That was never in doubt,” Auron replied.  “But you aren’t the only one who wants to see Yuna.”

“Yeah,” Rikku agreed, checking over her exosuit.  She danced in place, her back wheel whirring eagerly.  “I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to her or Paine!  I wanna see if she’s okay too.”  She stopped hopping to track Jecht with her eyes.  “So hurry it up already!  Carbuncle will be fine without you.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”  Jecht, who was kneeling by the tiny eidolon, gave it a final pat on the head.  “You got this?” he asked it.

Carbuncle stood on its hind legs and yipped confidently.

Snorting, Jecht stood.  “Damn showoff.  That squirt actually thinks makin’ the barrier is fun.”  He shook his head fondly.  “Look, I promise I’ll be back real soon.  So you jus’ wait here for me, okay?  The spirits will keep ya company for now.” 

Sitting on its haunches, Carbuncle tilted its head obediently.  A blue butterfly landed on its ear.  Flicking the spirit off, Carbuncle emitted a deep rumble that worked its way out of its throat into a bright yap. 

“Alright already!  I’m goin’,” Jecht said, waving at the eidolon.  He turned and spotted Auron, and then broke out into a smug grin.

“What?”  Auron’s eye narrowed.

“Oh, nothin’.  Jus’ thinkin’ ‘bout how you’re the only one o’ us now who can’t fly.”  He smirked.  “Lucky you.  Makes a great excuse for your girlfriend to get all handsy with ya.”

“Jecht,” Auron growled in warning.

At the same time Rikku shrugged.  “Well, yeah.”  She made a point of giving Auron a solid smack on his butt.

Tidus groaned.  “Just call your sword before they start making out again, will you dad?”  He pointed a finger at Rikku.  “And you!  I don’t have to put up with this when Yuna’s waiting for me in Bevelle!”  Crouching down, he leapt into the air, pumping his wings.

“I think we reached Tidus’s tolerance limit two days ago,” Rikku giggled.  “Maybe you should ride with Jecht instead of me today,” she told Auron.

Auron grunted reluctantly in reply.

“C’mon!  I bet ridin’ my sword will be almost as fun as ridin’ Rikku!” Jecht crowed, lifting his arms.  His sword, Sin’s Fang, materialized and spun until it lay parallel to the ground, hovering like a surfboard.  He hopped onto it, ignoring Auron’s twitching eyebrow.  “What?  What’d I say?  Get on here, ya stiff!”

Auron took a careful step onto the sword, grabbing on to Jecht to steady himself.  He shifted his weight a few times, finding his balance. 

“You’ll be fine,” Rikku said, the first inklings of misgiving niggling at her.  Jecht’s far-too-calm expression set off the warning bells in her head.  “He’ll be fine, right?”

“’Course!  You good, Auron?”

“I’m regretting this decision alrea-”  His words cut off in a whoosh as Jecht twisted his feet, sending the sword airborne over the treetops in a dizzying spiral.  Overhead, she heard Auron’s angry yell and Jecht’s excited whoop.

Shaking her head, Rikku launched herself into the air after them.

.x.x.x.

“Wow!  I didn’t realize Bevelle had gotten so big!”  Rikku gaped at the sprawling metropolis that glittered like a jewel on the coastline.  Even under the cover of night, it was unmistakable; torches and machina lights alike mixed together to brightly illuminate the city.  Its walls had slowly expanded outwards as the population burgeoned, pushing both forwards into the bay and back towards the mainland. 

Despite being the former seat of the Church of Yevon, it was still a sight for sore eyes.  It had taken them two days of hard travel to reach Bevelle.  They’d flown over the bay rather than taking the well-traveled pathways from the forest into the city.  Rikku knew she could have shortened their journey significantly by transporting everyone as Eden, but she was wary of transforming after the fiasco in Luca.  It wouldn’t matter if Eden was assumed to be a new Al Bhed airship or another ancient aeon returning to Spira; being spotted in her final form while the rest of the world was on high alert simply wasn’t worth the risk.  Her real goal was to reach Zanarkand with Auron and Jecht as quickly as possible, and getting caught up in messy rumors wouldn’t help.

“Look!  The Celsius is here.  Yuna must be close!”  Tidus pointed at the unmistakable red airship docked near the top of the palace.

“Yeah.  Even if Paine didn’t ask him, I’m sure Brother would’ve come running to rescue Yunie as soon as he heard about Luca.”  Rikku glanced at Tidus.  “He’s gonna stick to her like glue now, you know.  He gets pretty clingy when he thinks he might lose someone he loves.  Take it from somebody who’s already experienced it.”

“For once I’m actually grateful.”  Tidus’s face fell.  “I should’ve been the one who was there for her, though.”

“You were, and as a result you were badly injured,” Auron told him.  “If you had been recognized as the aeon protecting Luca, you might have become a liability to Yuna.”  He scanned the city, pointing towards a darkened portion of it.  “We can land there.”

“Oy, ain’t that where Braska’s old haunt used to be?  I’d recognize his rooftop anywhere!”  At Auron’s grunt of assent, Jecht took the lead.  They drew closer to the ramshackle neighborhood.  Unlike the rest of the city, the slum of Bevelle was much less well-lit.  Opting for stealth, they landed as silently as possible on one of the more dilapidated buildings.

Once the sword, exosuit, and wings had vanished, Tidus circled around the edge of the derelict roof, scratching his head.  “Yuna used to live here?  It’s so…”

Rikku made her way to the corroded roof access and began working on the lock, which was rusted shut.  “Crummy?”

“Braska, Yuna and I lived in poverty for many years thanks to the tender mercies of the Church,” Auron explained.  “I would be surprised if anyone realized it today.  This was yet another truth that became buried under the weight of myth.”

“Oi!  Look Auron, the spot where ya busted the floor tryin’ ta off me is still there!” Jecht said triumphantly, pointing at a crack in the tiling.

Auron winced.  “I wasn’t trying to end your life—”

“Just make it miserable,” Rikku chimed in from where she was still struggling with the lock.  The tumblers wouldn’t budge, and she gave up after a few more futile tries.  “Forget it.”  Summoning her Godhand, she knocked the mangled excuse for a lock off of the door completely with a quick strike.  Waving away her weapon, she reached in through the hole and unlatched it.  “Here you go!”

“Thank you,” Auron told her, making his way towards the door.

 Jecht trailed after him eagerly.  “’Ey, you think we can take a peek at Braska’s old apartment?”

“No.”

“Aww, c’mon Auron, what’s the harm?”

“Apart from the harm breaking and entering in the middle of the night might do to the people who now live there?” Auron grumbled, continuing down the stairs.

Rikku shook her head and looked over her shoulder.  “Hey, are you coming?” she asked Tidus.

Jogging over, Tidus took a look at the mangled door and raised his eyebrows.  “Were you always this subtle back then, too?  You must be pretty lucky.  I’m surprised no one ever caught on to you!”

“Yeah.”  She laughed uncomfortably, thinking of Berrik and the cult he’d managed to build around the old sphere recordings he’d found of her time as Rikkma.  “Maybe I’m not as lucky as you think.”

Tidus frowned, but she waved him in and shut the door behind them.  They crept down the stairs in silence; even with the relative inattention the slums drew, no one wanted to take their chances by waking the building’s current residents.  Exiting out to the street below, they took stock of their surroundings.

“Yuna really grew up in a place like this?” Tidus asked as they moved through the dark, litter-ridden streets.  He sounded pained.

“It was not as bad as you think,” Auron replied.  “Before Braska fell from grace, he lived a life of comfortable abundance as one of Yevon’s most successful missionaries.  But he was not happy.”  One of Auron’s rare smiles crossed his face.  “Perhaps that is why he was able to find me.  We were both on paths to wealth, power, and success… and yet neither of us was satisfied.”  He paused.  “Raenn and then Yuna’s arrival informed him of what he previously lacked.”

“Kids?” Tidus asked.

Auron scoffed.  “Family.  Home was never a place for either of us.  Yuna taught us that home is where those who care for you await for your return.  No matter how decrepit that apartment was, Yuna filled it with love.  That alone made it more welcoming than the wealthiest chambers in the Palace.”

“I get it,” Tidus said, nodding.  “In that case… I wanna go home.”  He looked at the Palace rising above the city, a smile on his face.  “I can feel her here.” 

“Well then what’re we waitin’ for?”  Jecht slapped Tidus on the shoulder.  “Go get your girl, son.”

They made quick time through the nearly-empty streets, which grew progressively better-lit as they approached the heart of the city.  The closer they came to the Palace, the more heavily armed guards they saw stationed at street corners.  The first guard who attempted to stop them, however, faltered when he recognized Tidus.

“Oh, sorry!  Excuse me sir!”  He stepped back and gave Tidus a respectful nod.

“Uh… yeah.  Sure?” Giving the man an uncertain smile and a wave, he led them past the two guards who were now ignoring them.  As soon as they were out of earshot, he turned around.  “What was that all about?” 

“Yeah!  I don’t remember Bevelle being this heavy-handed since Yunie’s Pilgrimage,” Rikku whispered.

“Obviously this is their response to the attack on Luca,” Auron murmured.   “We’re lucky that Tidus is with us.”

“Yeah!  You’re famous!”  Jecht looked proud.  “Takin’ after your old man, ain’t ya?”

Irritably, Tidus shrugged off Jecht’s regard.  “I retired from blitzball two years ago.  I’m not that famous anymore!”

“It’s because of Yuna.”

Rikku glanced at Auron.

“You’re her husband,” he continued.  “And she is once again a High Summoner.”

Tidus’s face fell.  “That’s not the kind of fame I was hoping for,” he muttered, worry pinching at his face.  “Let’s get to the Palace.  I hope Yuna’s okay.”

They made quick time to the Highbridge, pushed by Tidus’s newfound urgency.  There they were stopped once again – not by any guard, but by a teenaged girl with short black hair and large brown eyes.  She was dressed in a long white robe that appeared to have been hastily donned; little wonder, considering how late the hour was.  She performed the Yevon bow to them, straightening with a star-struck smile.

“Greetings, Sir Tidus, Lady Rikku.  I was informed by the guards of your arrival.”  She took in Jecht’s appearance, lingering on his still-white beard and hair, and her eyes widened.  “And… Sir Jecht?”  A bright blush suffused her face.  “You’re still alive?”

Rikku stared in surprise.  The girl couldn’t have been more than 16 years old.  “You know about Jecht?”

“Of course!  He was one of High Summoner Braska’s legendary Guardians!”  She performed another bow.  “Not all of us have forgotten how much the summoners and guardians sacrificed to make the world safe again.  I’m a huge fan of Sir Jecht, Sir Tidus, and Sir Wakka!  Seeing two of you here together is like a dream come true!”

“Big blitzball fan, are ya?”  At her nod, Jecht proudly thumbed his chest.  “Well you’re in luck, ‘cause here I am, in the flesh!”

Tidus groaned.  “C’mon, dad.”

“No!  It’s alright!  I’m honored!” she gushed, prompting another eye roll from Tidus and loud laughter from Jecht.  The girl performed another quick bow and then looked at Auron with mild curiosity, rather than the same dazzled awe she’d displayed for the others.  “And you are…?”

Auron shifted uncomfortably.  “Aaron.”

“He’s with me!” Rikku said, stepping in front of Auron.  “He’s my personal bodyguard, assigned to me from the Guardians.”

“Ah, yes, of course.  Captain Paine always was very thorough!”  The girl smiled brightly.  “Welcome to Bevelle!  I’m Sender Garnet.  The Palace is currently closed to visitors, but… considering your special relation to High Summoner Yuna, I could escort you to her if you wanted.”

“Heck yeah I want!” Tidus said impatiently.  He gestured at the rest of them.  “We’re all here for Yuna.”

“That, umm…”  Garnet flushed slightly.  “I’m not supposed to let anyone but you in,” she whispered loudly to Tidus.

Crossing his arms, Tidus leaned back and glared down his nose at her.  Rikku wondered if he realized he’d copied the pose from Auron.  “We’re family.  We all have a right to be here and see Yuna.”

“Well… I mean, Sir Jecht is your father and Lady Rikku is the High Summoner’s cousin…”  Garnet’s eyes lingered on Auron, and Tidus frowned.  “Look.  We’re not leaving anyone behind.  I’ll take responsibility for this.”

Garnet nodded, still marveling in the presence of two of her apparent idols.  “Oh, in that case… this way please!”  Eagerly she led them down the long bridge that would take them to the entrance of the tower.

“So,” Rikku asked, making her way to the girl’s side.  “You’re a Sender, right?  That means you’re like a priestess of Yevon now, doesn’t it?”  At Garnet’s uncertain nod, Rikku scrunched her eyebrows together.  “Okay, so how come you’re not freaking out about me being here?”

Garnet giggled.  “Lady Rikku!  Everyone knows that High Summoner Yuna is half Al Bhed herself.  Besides, Mister Gippal has been here for over a week now, negotiating with the Grand Maester on behalf of the Machine Faction.  Despite what happened in Luca, we followers of New Yevon are trying to keep an open mind.”

“So you don’t think all Al Bhed are bad?  Even after that attack?”

Garnet stared at her fingertips, which were pushing together nervously.  “I know I can’t speak for every priest and priestess within the order, but… I don’t see why anyone should think that.  The Al Bhed helped us defeat Sin once and for all.  How could they all be bad?  They’re just people, like the rest of us.”  She blew out an uncertain huff of breath.  “And… I don’t think anybody here really wants to start a new war.”

Rikku grinned.  “Thanks.  I mean it!  So, where’s Gippal right now anyhow?  I kinda need to talk to him too.”

The girl pointed upwards towards the ceiling.  “When he’s not in meetings with the Grand Maester or the High Summoner, he spends his time on that airship.”

Auron stepped in close to them as they boarded an elevator; he’d been listening in on their conversation.  “And who are the Maesters now?”

Garnet smiled.  “Grand Maester Shelinda is our leader.  So far, only Maester Isaaru and Maester Baralai have been appointed as her direct subordinates.  The Grand Maester has been petitioning High Summoner Yuna to fill the position as our third Maester, but so far she hasn’t agreed to anything.”

“Hnn.  They cleaned house.”  There was a note of approval in Auron’s voice.

“Look,” Jecht said loudly.  “That’s interestin’ an all, but when do we get to see Yuna?  I wanna meet my daughter-in-law already!”

“Actually,” Garnet said as the elevator came to a stop, “We’re right here—”  She was cut off by Tidus, who rushed past her. 

There was a clatter as a pair of doors flew open and Yuna tumbled out of them.  She was dressed in a long, breezy nightgown, and her hair was mussed as if she’d just gotten out of bed.  A flush dusted her cheeks as she looked up and down the corridor frantically.  “Tidus?!”

“Yuna, wait!”  Paine skidded into the hall after her charge.  She stopped, grimacing in mortification as she spotted the rest of the group standing on the elevator platform.  Rikku beamed and gave her a thumbs up, approving of her skimpy black tonberry-decorated silk jammies.  “Kill me now,” Paine muttered as she sidestepped out of the way of a speeding Tidus.

“You know a man’s in love when he can shove a babe like Paine out of the way without even noticing she was there,” Rikku snorted into her hand.

“Yuna!” Tidus shouted, grabbing onto Yuna and spinning her around.

“You’re back,” Yuna cried, burying her face into his shoulder.  Her eyes squeezed shut and her knuckles whitened.  “You came back.”

“I’ll never leave you,” Tidus murmured to her.

The moment felt intensely private.  Rikku’s face heated as she watched the two lovebirds turn to kiss one another, equal parts of relief and desperation.  It was like watching two halves coming together to make a whole.  Behind them, Paine crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.  Then, as the initial euphoria wore off, Tidus dipped Yuna backwards and made good on his promise to make out with her in full view of them as Paine stalked back inside the room. 

“Oh my,” Garnet said, flushing bright red.

“Ugh,” Jecht moaned, covering his face.  “I’m never gonna look at lil’ Yuna the same way again.” 

Auron only sighed.  “I suppose we had this coming,” he muttered, turning his back to them and averting his eye.

Rikku smirked and whistled a catcall.  “Good technique!” she shouted at them.  “Yunie, go for his butt next!”

Paine chose that moment to reappear, this time wearing a robe cinched shut by her Garment Grid and carrying her sword.  Clearing her throat, she tapped Yuna on the shoulder, separating the couple.  “Alright you two.  Take it inside.” 

“Don’t wait up for us,” Tidus grinned as Paine all but shoved the pair behind the double doors and slammed them shut.  As she took a guarding stance outside, she leaned on her sword and called out to them.  “Hey Rikku.  I’m on duty.  Do yourselves a favor and get to the Celsius before Shelinda finds you.”

“Now wait just a damn minute!” Jecht protested, scowling.  “The canoodlin’ can wait, we got business—”

“Grab Jecht,” Rikku whispered to Auron, slamming the button on the elevator controls.  She saluted Paine as the platform began its descent.

“’Ey!  Leggo o’ me!” Jecht grumbled as Auron held him back against the railing.  His struggles were only half-hearted, though.  “No fair.  I haven’t seen Yuna in years!”

“And whose fault is that?”  Auron’s tone was clipped.  “Settle down and let Tidus have a moment with his wife.”

“Oh wow,” Garnet gasped, still reeling from surprise.  She clasped her hands under her chin.  “That was so romantic!”

“I know, right?” Rikku bubbled, sharing a look with Garnet and giggling.  “Uh, but can you take us to the Celsius for now?  Maybe on a different elevator?” 

Blushing, Garnet nodded and led them down another corridor.  “Honestly, the Grand Maester wants to meet with you, Lady Rikku.  But…”

Wincing, Rikku nodded.  “I know.  But I’m not a Restorationist!  And well… I really need to talk to my brother and Gippal first.”  She paused.  “You know, for a Sender, you’re nothing at all like what I expected.”

“Well… for a Pollendina, you’re nothing like I expected either,” Garnet replied with a bright smile.  She stopped at another elevator and gestured.  “This one will take you all the way up to the central platform outside.  I, umm… probably shouldn’t be seen escorting you there.”

“You’ve been a huge help!  I’ll put in a good word for you with Shelinda when I see her!”  Rikku waved eagerly at the girl, and then, after a moment of consideration, copied her Yevonite bow.

“Thank you for your cooperation,” Auron told Garnet, softening the usual sternness in his voice.  “Stay the course in your training.  This world could use more Senders like yourself.”

“Thanks,” Garnet said, smiling prettily but not looking nearly as impressed as she did when Jecht stopped by her side.

“Say, you want an autograph?”  Garnet’s eyes widened.  She fumbled for a few seconds in her pocket to pull out a thick pen, and then simply held up the hem of her robe.  Grinning, Jecht signed his name with a flourish and drew something that Rikku guessed was supposed to be a smiling blitzball.  “There ya go!”

Garnet carefully held up the corner of her robe, her face going pink.  “I’m never washing this robe again!”

Jecht ruffled her hair and then sauntered onto the platform smugly.  “Still got it,” he boasted, leaning against the railing.

Auron twitched and Rikku peered up at him from under her lashes.  He was scowling at Garnet, whose sparkling eyes were trained on Jecht.  Rikku activated the controls for the elevator and then elbowed Auron as soon as they were out of the girl’s sight.

“Jealous much?”

“Of Jecht?  Hardly,” he scoffed.

“Oi!  So what if you’re not famous anymore?  That’s yer own damn fault anyhow.”  Jecht shrugged.  “Nobody knows ya kicked the bucket, right?  Just turn yer hair frosty like mine an’ you’d be almost as big a superstar as me!  Legendary Guardian Auron, back in action!”

Auron’s brows lowered.  “I hardly want to compare myself to you,” he growled, looking even more put out.

Jecht shrugged.  “Suit yourself.  Not everybody got what it takes to be a celebrity.”  He smirked.

Hiding her laugh, Rikku stepped in front of a fuming Auron and leaned in, demanding his attention.  “You already cut all your hair off!  Don’t you dare do anything else to it!  Or your face,” she added for good measure.  “You get enough attention as it is without being famous.”

“Hnn.”  One of Auron’s eyebrows inched upwards.  “From being your paramour?”

Pressing herself against him, Rikku draped her arms around Auron’s broad shoulders and stood on her tiptoes.  “From being a total snack.  You know, I wouldn’t mind getting your autograph right now…”  She trailed off suggestively.

Auron’s hands fell heavily on her hips and slid lower as the corners of his lips rose.  “And just where would you like me to sign?” he rumbled, pulling her closer.

“Damn.  You two drank all that water in Macalania and you’re still thirsty?”  Jecht whistled lowly.

Rikku dropped her head with a laugh and stepped away from Auron, who grumbled in discontent and only grudgingly released her.  “We’re almost on the roof anyhow, and I don’t wanna give Brother an aneurysm if he spots us.”  She pinched the edge of Auron’s hip appreciatively and winked at him.  “I’ll take a rain check on that signature.”

As they stepped out onto the central platform, Rikku looked up, her eyes adjusting to the darkness.

“Woo!  An airship, huh?  I never been on one o’ those before!”  Jecht sauntered onto the platform.

“Well, you’re in for a real trip when the sun comes out.  The Celsius is Brother and Buddy’s custom rigged model,” Rikku boasted proudly.  “It’s the fastest airship in Spira!”

“There are only two airships in Spira right now,” Auron pointed out.

“And it’s the fastest!” she repeated, preening.  Peering upwards, she waved.  “Heeeey! You guys!  I’m back!”

There was a crackle of static, and then Buddy’s sleepy voice sounded overhead.  “Rikku?  Is that yo—ow, hey, wait a second!  Just hang o-” 

More static, and then an ear-piercing whine which unfortunately was not from the reverberation of the speakers.  No, Rikku thought as she covered her ears.  I’d know my brother’s voice anywhere.

“RIIIIIIIIIKKUUUU!  WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?  GET UP HERE RIGHT NOW!  NO MORE VACATIONS FOR YOU! FOREVER!”  The whine started again, this time punctuated by a few loud sobs. 

Static crackled, and Buddy came back onto the speakers.  “Sorry about that. Paine told him you were in Luca too.  I’m really glad you’re okay, but I’ll be even gladder when you can get Brother to calm the heck down.  I’m dropping the ladder, so come on up.”

“Sheesh,” she grumbled as a hatch on the bottom of the ship opened up.  “Well… all aboard!”

.x.x.x.

The doors to the bridge swooshed opened and the first thing Rikku heard was Buddy’s shout.

“Rikku!  Look out!”

“Huh?” was all she was able to say before being immediately assaulted by a pair of arms that wrapped around her in an overly-tight grip.  She heard Auron grunt as Brother performed a classic wither tackle to shoulder-check him away from her side.  “Whoa!”  Her voice was muffled against Brother’s chest as she struggled to return the hug, beating him on the back a few times until he let her go.

“Yuna said you were in Luca.”  He pushed her back.  “Why did you not come with her to Bevelle?”

“Well,” she hedged.  She thought about Lulu’s request to leave Besaid out of the conflict, and started fabricating a believable lie.  “We kinda ran into Berrik and his goons in Kilika and just maybe pissed them off a little when we didn’t cooperate… so I think maybe he followed us to Luca to get his revenge?”

“What we?”  Brother turned his bright-eyed glare onto Auron, his nostrils flaring as he switched to Spiran.  “Was it you?  You were the one who put my little sister and my cousin in danger?  And who is that?” he asked, transferring his glare to Jecht.

“First of all, back off of my friends!  Au—Aaron was protecting me!” Rikku said indignantly.  “Second of all, I can’t believe you don’t recognize Jecht.  Sir Jecht!  One of uncle Braska’s guardians, remember?”

Jecht frowned.  “Man, I think I liked it better in the palace.  Least I had fans there.”

Brother pushed his face into Jecht’s, squinting.  “You do not look like an old man.”  He frowned, suspicious.  “How do I know you are who you say you are?”

Jecht crossed his arms and entered the squinting contest with confidence.  “Look here, kid.  You know what they say ‘bout me?”  He switched to Al Bhed.  “Superstars like Jecht always look perfect.”

“Kid?  You are the same age as me!”  Brother squinted even more.  “And that does not even rhyme in our language.  How do I know you are telling the truth?”

“Uh… you can see he’s got the tattoo, right?” she heard Buddy call out from his seat at the controls.

Jecht smirked.  “Right on!  Besides, you won’t take Rie-Rie’s word for it?  Why don’cha just ask my son Tidus then.  Or my daughter-in-law, huh?”

Brother reeled away from Jecht.  “Rie-Rie?  You let this guy call you Rie-Rie?”  He looked at her, eyes filling with tears, and then hung his head and swayed from side to side in despair.  “You do not even let me call you Rie-Rie!  Not since Keyakku died!”

Even though his reaction was, as per usual, over-the-top, Rikku couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt.  Especially when Jecht glanced at her with surprise on his face.

“Oh, hey, uh, look man, I didn’t mean ta make ya cry,” he fumbled, rubbing the back of his head.  Blondie! he mouthed furiously at her.

“Y-you… can call me that too,” she said after a moment.  She looked away from Brother, feigning nonchalance.  “You’re my only brother, after all.”

“RIE-RIE!” he shouted, latching onto her with another bruising hug.

“Enough already!  I have more important things to talk about than our happy little family reunion!”  Rikku stomped on his foot and he let her go.  She took a deep breath to continue complaining, but hesitated at the sound of the door sliding open. 

Gippal strode onto the bridge, missing his usual colorful outfit and cocky smile.  He, like everyone else with the exception of Buddy, looked like he had just rolled out of his bed, dressed in plain pajama pants and an open shirt. 

“Finally.  The voice of reason!” she cheered, holding Brother away from her at arm’s length.  “Can you talk some sense into hi-”  She choked off as Gippal didn’t stop walking until he was right in front of her.  Without pause or warning, he encased her in an embrace that was only slightly less constricting than Brother’s.  “Gippal?” she squeaked, flapping her arms at her sides.  “What are you doing?”

“Shut up and let me hug you,” he said curtly.  After a moment he released her, grabbing her shoulders instead and giving her a solid shake.  “Thank machina Yuna was there to protect you and Paine!  And everybody else.”  He slapped a hand on his forehead, closing his eye.  “Damn it, Rikku.  Everybody thought you might have died.  Again.  You could have at least dropped us a line on the CommSphere!”

“It is Rikku.  Why would she do that?  She has only air between those ears of hers!” Brother interjected, glaring at her.

“I… well, I mean, I…”

“You’re really gonna let that guy get away with puttin’ his mitts all over your girl?” she heard Jecht saying to Auron.

“They’re friends.  Let them be,” Auron replied, and when she glanced at him, he shrugged.  “I can’t say I’m happy.  But he does seem to have a point.”  He spared a brief glance for Gippal, who was studying him with pursed lips.  “Besides.  I don’t feel threatened by boys Rikku has no interest in.”

“Ouch.”  Gippal winced at that and put his hands up.  “Fine.  Tell us again what you were doing in Luca at the wrong place and the wrong time, will you?”  He paused.  “And isn’t that Sir Jecht?  Where did you pick him up?” he asked, nodding at the man in question.

Trading a glance with Auron and Jecht, Rikku launched into another story.  “Um… well, you know, after all that stuff happened in Luca, Tidus and I decided we might need a little help and went to bring his dad out of retirement.  We came back here as fast as we could, promise!”

Gippal was staring at Jecht now.  “Retirement, huh?  And here the whole world thought he was dead.” 

Jecht looked away uneasily.  “Naw, man.  I just, uh… I injured my funny bone, is all!”

Auron gave Jecht a not-so-subtle elbow to the gut and the larger man stopped talking with a pained wheeze.

“Riiiight.”  Gippal looked back at Rikku, a wry smile on his face.  “Got any other surprises you’re gonna pull out of your bag next?  Are you communing with your uncle Braska, too?”

“Eh heh-heh!” Rikku laughed, scratching her cheek, and Gippal’s eyelid twitched.

“You know what?  Never mind.  We need to talk.  We got a call from Cid a few days ago.”

That sobered her immediately.  “What?  What did Pops want now?  Was he calling to surrender since Berrik’s ship sunk?”

“Father told me he left the faction.” Brother scowled and crossed his arms.  “I would say better late than never, but it is more like too little, too late.”

Gippal nodded.  “Cid hasn’t been seen since before the attack on Luca.  Actually, we thought he’d been the one piloting the salvage ship that sunk, right up until he gave us a call.”

“No way, Berrik was the captain of that whole operation.  He went down with his ship!”  She stopped as she noticed the looks on Brother and Gippal’s faces.  “Right?  Isn’t Berrik dead?”

“What?  No.  Actually, that’s why Cid called.  Berrik is in Djose and took control of the Fahrenheit.  He might have lost the battle in Luca, but nothing’s stopping that nutjob from going after his original goal, which was always Bevelle.”  Gippal gave her a side-eye.  “You can’t tell me you didn’t notice all the security in the streets on the way here.”

Rikku barely processed it.  Instead, she thought about Berrik’s body, sliding into the ocean.  His eyes had been open wide in ecstasy even as he died.  She shuddered, and felt Auron’s hand land on her shoulder.

“You know what this means,” she heard him say softly.

“Sounds like this Berrik guy’s a hard man to kill,” Jecht added, crossing his arms.

“Don’t worry!  We have a plan,” Brother cut in, waving his hands.

A half-smile crossed Gippal’s face.  “Yeah.  Decided to take your advice after all.  Paine and Shelinda have been working out the details on the ground.  The Guardians and New Yevon are gonna strike Djose at the same time from both sides.  And the Machine Faction’s supporting them.  Our troops are already on the march, so it’s lucky that you got here in time for all the action.  We’ll reach the Restorationist camp in three days.”

“But what of Bevelle?” Auron asked.  “If you’ve already moved your troops out, who will be left to defend this city?”

“Us of course!” Brother said, waving his hands in the air again and swaying from side to side.  “The Gullwings are here to save the day!”

“You and what army?” 

Brother stopped dancing to glare at Auron.  “Do not underestimate us!”

“Naw, it’s a fair question.”  Gippal raised his arms placatingly.  “Some of the older Warrior-Monks who rejoined the ranks are staying here as guards.  You’ve seen them on the streets already.  They might be getting older now, but I still wouldn’t wanna face one of them in a fair fight.  After all, they were trained by Sir Auron himself.”  His smirk spoke volumes.

“Hnn,” Auron replied, unable to come up with a reply without giving himself away.

“Besides, Yuna is here too!” Brother added with a huff.  “I believe in the High Summoner!”

Rikku snorted.  “Are you even listening to yourself?  You’re an Al Bhed!  Yevon hasn’t come back all of a sudden!”

“Does it matter?  It is Yuna!  She makes miracles happen!” Brother replied fervently.

Biting her lip, Rikku fell silent.  It was no wonder Paine stuck around; she knew the truth about Alexander’s ‘summoning’.  If people really were placing their blind faith in Yuna’s ability as a High Summoner, just like Brother was, then the city was in more need of protection that anyone realized.  “I think maybe I need to talk to Yuna about all this.”

“There is one other thing.  A small detail.”  Brother coughed nervously.

“It’s not small!” Buddy called out from the cockpit.  “You gotta tell her, man.”

“Tell me what?”  She put her hands on her hips and glared at Brother.  “Spit it out!”

“So… you remember how you gave me your Garment Grid, yes?  ‘I do not want to use this anymore,’ you said.  So you must promise not to get too mad at me, because you threw it away first.”  Brother paced around nervously and Rikku narrowed her eyes.

“What happened to my Conflagration Grid?”

“I may have been wearing it when I was kidnapped,” Brother managed to say, not meeting her eyes.  “And maybe it was slightly… stolen.”

“Only just slightly?” Auron repeated incredulously.

Brother’s ears turned red.  “Okay, maybe a little more than slightly.  Perhaps more like… completely.”

There was a moment of silence as everyone processed the news.  Jecht soon broke it.

“Well, shit.” 

“Are you telling me Berrik has my Conflagration Grid?” Rikku spat out.  “The Restorationists got their hands on one of Shinra’s original Garment Grids?”  She glanced at Gippal.  “Did you know about this?”

Gippal sighed.  “Yeah.  There’s something else too.  Berrik might have lost the rail gun during the attack on Luca, but that wasn’t the only thing he was relying on.  The Restorationists have been sabotaging the machina patrolling the roads for fiends.  They’ve turned them hostile.  I’ve got the Machine Faction on it, but we’re still having skirmishes with them wherever we try to go.”

“You’re making it sound like Berrik took control of the roads between here and Luca.”  Rikku chewed her lip.  “What about Guadosalam, then?  They’re the biggest settlement right in the middle of everything!”

“That’s the weird thing.”  Gippal beckoned them over to the center of the cockpit and pulled up the global map.  Spinning it, he pointed out Guadosalam.  Portions of the road leading to and from it flickered to life in varying shades of blue and red.  The city itself was still bright green.  “The Restorationists are staying away from Guadosalam like it’s cursed.  I mean, no surprises there, right?  We’re all Al Bhed.  But in the week that they started attacking the roads, it’s become a refuge for people trying to escape from the danger.  Bevelle’s forces managed to clear a path from here through to the Thunder Plains, but south of Guadosalam it’s a little hairy.”  He clucked his tongue.  “Hopefully the Machine Faction will be able to clean it all up by the time the Guardians and New Yevon are ready to make their move.”

Rikku turned around and looked at Auron.  He was studying the map, but met her eyes.  They both knew perfectly well why Berrik wasn’t eager to invade Guadosalam.  Sighing, she shut the map down and stepped back.  “This has been a lot.  You think you can put us up for the night?” she asked Brother.

“No problem.  As long as you are not sharing a bed with that one.”  He crossed his arms and glared at Auron.  “You all camp out in the communal room!  No funny business!”

“Nothing about this business is funny,” Auron replied.

Chapter Text

Morning in Bevelle was an experience Rikku could have done without.  Nightmares plagued what little rest she could find – fevered dreams of Berrik chasing after her, his eyes lit with madness.  Buddy finally roused her from her uneasy sleep at the end of his shift.  While she was thankful, the evening was still entirely too short for her liking. 

Somehow she, Auron, and Jecht managed to make themselves presentable in record time.  Gippal didn’t even stir from where he was snoring away on one of the loft beds; she eyed him with envy as they exited the common rooms.  After a brief exchange of greetings with Calli and barbs with Brother, they finally managed to re-enter the Palace to meet with Yuna and Tidus.

“Tell me again why we have to get up at the asscrack o’ dawn?” Jecht yawned as they made their way towards the elevators.

“To avoid meeting with Grand Maester Shelinda,” Auron grunted.  “Though we cannot put that off forever.”

“It can wait until after we’ve seen Yunie,” Rikku replied stubbornly.  They exited the elevator on Yuna’s floor; Paine was still there standing guard, although she was at least properly dressed this time around.  “Doctor P!” she said, running up and giving Paine a hug.

“Hey Rikku.”  Paine pushed her off with a weary smile.  “Good to see you’re safe.  Yuna’s been waiting for you.  Despite the show they gave last night, she and Tidus actually spent time talking.”  She hesitated.  “I have the feeling she’s got a lot to say to you.”

A thrill of nervous energy shot through Rikku.  She traded glances with Auron and Jecht; the former gave her a slight nod, and the latter a thumbs up.  Time to come clean.  As she took a deep breath, she noticed Paine crossing her arms and looking anywhere but at the rest of them.  “Umm… Paine, do you wanna come inside while we talk?”

Paine rolled her eyes and shook her head.  “I’ve got my hands full coordinating this attack on Djose.  Don’t bother me with your weirdness right now.”  Finally facing them, her eyes skimmed over Jecht and settled on Auron.  They narrowed, and her mouth twisted.  “I’m too tired to beat around the bush,” she said after a moment, addressing him.  “I know what you are.  Legendary Guardian or not, you hurt Rikku and I hurt you.  Got it?”

“Of course,” Auron said, dipping his head respectfully.

“Whoa.”  Jecht put his hands on his hips and glared at Auron.  “Why’re you bein’ all nice to her?  You were never that nice to me!”

“That’s because she knows what she is doing, whereas you were an absolute fool.”  Auron smirked.

Jecht shrugged, his own grin widening.  “Says you.  Who’s the one who beat down that sword chick Jihl in the end, huh?”   He paused for dramatic effect, and then promptly ruined it by answering his own question while throwing his arms up into the air.  “Me!  That’s right, it was me!  Oh yeah, baby!”

Auron shrugged.  “Congratulations.  You’ve graduated from absolute fool to idiot savant.”

“’Ey!”

“Jackass.”

“Where do you find these people?”  Paine sighed.  “Guys,” she cut in, raising her voice.  “Zip it.  Yuna’s waiting inside.”  She knocked on the door once, then reached for the handles and swung them open.  “Get in there.”

The boys trailed in, but Rikku lingered outside next to Paine.  “Hey,” she said quietly.  “Are you sure you don’t wanna come with?  You have as much a right to know what’s going on as Yuna does.  Maybe even more, since you’re leading the Guardians.”  Paine opened her mouth, but Rikku slapped a hand over Paine’s lips to stop her from protesting.  “No, don’t even mention Nooj right now.  He wanted to retire before Vegnagun was even a thing!  You know he’s only pretending to be in charge of the Guardians for you.  The whole entire world already sees you as the real Commander.”  She let her hand fall.

Paine sighed heavily.  She looked away, carding her fingers through her bangs.  Finally, she turned back to Rikku, her eyes narrowed.  “Look.  I thought you were the one who didn’t want to tell me anything anymore.”  Her voice was quiet, but there was a note of accusation in it.  “Ever since you came back from the Farplane you’ve been different, Rikku.  Distant.  You don’t talk to anyone anymore.  You couldn’t even tell me about Auron.  I had to find that out by myself!  Don’t you think bringing an Unsent back from the Farplane to be your boyfriend is worth mentioning?”  She smiled bitterly.  “Well, obviously you have a plan.  I’m just not a part of it.  So I’m trying to do you a favor and stay out of your way.”

Rikku bit her lip.  There it was; she wasn’t imagining it.  Paine really was mad at her.  And like usual, she hit the bullseye with her attacks.  It’d been a while since she’d felt so small… and the worst part was, Paine was right.  It had always been Paine who tried to keep YRP’s friendship alive over the years, despite Yuna’s marriage and Rikku’s reclusive withdrawal.  It seemed like bringing Auron back and keeping him a secret was the straw that finally broke the chocobo’s back, though.

Auron was looking back at her with a question in his eyes.  Raising her hand to hold him off, Rikku partially shut the door and lowered her voice.  “I haven’t been much of a friend to you lately, have I?”

“No kidding.”  Paine relented after a few moments of tense staring.  “Whatever.  It’s fine.  My work with the Guardians eats up all my free time anyway, so it’s not like I can blame you for everything.  We wouldn’t have been able to spend much time together even if you weren’t acting like such a punk.”

Frowning, Rikku lurched into Paine’s side, channeling just enough power into the motion to make the stronger woman stagger.  “Don’t you dare talk like that!”

Circling her shoulder, Paine glared at her.  “Someone’s been working out.  And talk like what?  It’s the truth.  I’m a busy woman.”

“Talk like any of this was your fault.  You’re right… you’re my friend, and I should’ve leaned on you more instead of trying to solve every problem on my own.”  Latching onto Paine’s arm, Rikku dragged her towards the doors.  “At least let me try to make it up to you.  Come inside!  You’re practically family already, and we aren’t YRP if we don’t bring the Paine.”

Paine let herself be pulled inside with a long-suffering sigh.  “Was that a stupid pun?”

“So what if it was?”

Unable to completely suppress the smile twitching at the corners of her mouth, Paine shook her off.  “Then this would be a first for me.  And I can walk on my own, thanks.”  She paused to give a cursory greeting to Yuna and Tidus, who were sitting on the bed watching them.  “Yuna.  Tidus.”

Shutting the doors behind her, Rikku frowned at Paine.  “Wait, I’m still talking to you!  First what?”

Taking up a space by the door, Paine leaned against the wall.  “First time that someone’s respect points have gone into the double negatives.” She smirked.  “So.  Rikku invited me in.  Do the rest of you want me to be here?”

“You’re hot so why not?” Jecht said easily, earning him another glare from Auron.

“Show some respect.”  Auron nodded at Paine.  “If Rikku trusts you, then I do as well.”

“It’s cool with me!” Tidus said.  “Also, pretend I’m not related to him,” he added, pointing at Jecht.

Yuna only shook her head.  “Paine… you don’t even need to ask.  Thank you for coming.”  She paused, and slowly surveyed the rest of them.  “Thank you all for coming to see me.”  Though her voice was quiet, there was a gravity in it that sobered the mood in the room instantly.  “Sir Jecht… or… should I call you Father now?” she said thoughtfully.  “It’s good to see you again after so long.”  Though her voice was filled with warmth, her ramrod straight posture didn’t invite Jecht into the hug he was clearly hoping to give her.

“Yeah, you too Yuna.  Not so little anymore, are ya?”  He laughed uncomfortably.  “Something up though?  Ya seem a little… tense.”

“Mmm.”  Yuna didn’t offer anything else, folding her hands into her lap and still studying each of them.

Rikku focused her attention on Tidus, trying to read him.  He felt her stare and looked away uncomfortably.  “Hey, is this about Berrik?” she asked.  “I know we might’ve poked the Chocobo Eater here, but this Restorationist stuff was already –”

“Rikku.”  Though Yuna’s voice was soft, it still cracked like thunder through the room – just like Braska had always been able to do.  “I don’t care about Berrik or the Restorationists right now.  I care about you.  All of you.  And I want you to stop hiding from me.”  Her mismatched eyes fell on Rikku.  “You… you’re at the center of this, Rikku.  Ever since you returned from the Farplane, things have been different.  You’re different.  I’ve felt it, but I never said anything.  I… wanted to keep the illusion alive.”  Her hand snaked out and covered Tidus’s palm.  “I wanted all of us to be happy together in Besaid.  But… you were never happy there.  Not until you left… and brought Auron back with you.”

Auron shifted slightly, a frown blossoming on his face.  “Yuna—”

“No.  No, I want her to tell me herself,” Yuna said firmly.  “Tidus didn’t say anything.  But I can’t ignore this anymore.  Not when the world is starting to fall apart all over again.”  She stood up and stepped two paces closer towards Rikku.  “I need to know.  Are you…”

Rikku held her breath, her pulse thundering in her ears.

“… Unsent?”

There was a moment of silence.  And then Jecht let out a snort.  “Oh man.  Like father like daughter, huh?” he guffawed, doubling over.

“What?” Yuna stuttered in surprise.  And then indignation, her hands balling into fists.  “This isn’t very funny!  I was being serious!” 

Then Jecht yelped; this time it was Paine who’d stepped forward and smacked him in the back of the head before Auron could. 

“Shut up or next time I’ll use my sword,” she bit out, glaring.

Jecht straightened up, holding his head.  “Like I said, she’s hot,” he whispered loudly to Auron, causing Paine to shoot him another death glare.

“Stop it!”  Rikku stomped her foot.  “I’m not dead, alright?  I’m just… well…”  She scratched her cheek as the others quieted down, feeling Yuna and Paine’s stares focusing on her.  “I’m like them now,” she murmured, pointing first at Tidus and then Jecht.

Paine took a large step backwards, her eyes flicking between the father and son.  “Wait.  Sir Jecht is also – ?”

Yuna’s eyes were as large as dinner plates.  “You… you’re an aeon?” she asked Rikku.  “But… how?!”

Swaying from side to side nervously, Rikku hummed.  “Well, I mean… I told you about the time travel already –”

“Time travel?!” she heard Paine choke from behind her.  “What time travel!"

“But… it was because of your dad,” Rikku continued with a wince, feeling even more of her respect points eroding under Paine’s withering glare.  “I couldn’t have done any of it without Braska.  I would’ve died when I hit the ground in the Farplane if it wasn’t for him.  He saved my life by turning me into an aeon.  That’s why I could travel through time to join his Pilgrimage… and why I could come home again afterwards.”

Yuna’s mouth dropped open.  She took two steps back and sat down heavily on the bed – right into Tidus’s waiting arms.  “You never told me that part,” she whispered.  “Why would father do that?  Creating an aeon takes a huge sacrifice…”  Yuna’s hand traveled to her chest, and Tidus tightened his hold around her.  “I knew he loved Auron, but did he also… love you?”

Auron straightened at this, his eye going wide.  “What?  You knew Braska was in love with me?”

Distracted, Yuna blushed.  “Well… I mean… I watched my father a lot.  I still remember how he looked at you sometimes.  He seemed so sad… he made that same expression whenever he talked about my mother.  But I didn’t understand why until later.”

Auron pinched the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eye shut.  “Was I the only one who didn’t realize?”

“Oi!  I didn’t know until he said it!”  Jecht raised a hand, and Auron lifted his head long enough to spare a withering glare towards the other man.

“Enough of this family drama!”  Paine grabbed ahold of Rikku’s shoulder and spun her around.  “You better start from the beginning, Rikku.  Are you telling me you went back into the past to go on another Pilgrimage… and that when you came back, you weren’t human anymore?”

Rikku let herself be shaken by Paine’s grip, laughing nervously.  “Uhh… yeah, basically?  I’m an aeon, just like Tidus.  Well, I mean, I don’t look like him when he gets… um… bigger.  But I don’t look like this, either."

Paine’s grip loosened, her eyes wide.  “Incredible.  So that’s why you fell out of touch, huh?”

“…Yeah.  I was just having my own little existential crisis for a while there!”  She laughed nervously and snuck a glance over at Yuna, who at least had managed to close her mouth.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to fool you all, but I wanted… I wanted to see everyone again.  Sort of… get back to my life here with the rest of you like nothing had changed.”  She met Auron’s eyes and gave him a shaky smile.  “It didn’t really work out that way, though.”  Wincing, she glanced at Paine.  “So… no good?”

Paine murmured something unintelligible.

“Huh?”

“… I said, that’s pretty hard-core.  Fighting Sin twice.”  Paine gave her an uncertain, grudging smile.  “And you sort-of lived to tell the tale.”  The smile faltered.  “Are you really not human?”

“Wait,” Yuna said, recovering her voice.  She didn’t stand up from the bed, but she was staring at Tidus.  She tore her gaze away to watch Rikku.  “I… I really do want you to stop hiding.  All of you.  I know that those can’t be your real bodies.  I mean, my own aeons back then were also my friends.  So please… show me what you really look like.  All of you.”

Auron sighed and removed the bandage around his head.  “This is my real body, or what is left of it.  And I am Unsent.  I died when I was twenty-six.”  He gestured at the long scar bisecting his eye.  “Regrets age me.  I have… less of them now, thanks to you and Rikku.”

Yuna nodded slowly.  “Thank you.  But I meant...”  She looked at Rikku again, pleading.

“Aww, c’mon, let’s just show her.  What’s the harm?”  Jecht clapped his hands together.  His hair faded back into its original dark brown, and he grinned.  “First!”

“That hardly counts,” Tidus groaned.  “You look almost exactly the same, moron!”

“Hey!  Be nicer to your dad!  Besides, it’s not a competition, Jecht!”  Rikku huffed, closing her eyes and concentrating.  It felt a little bit like removing a set of well-worn clothing; when she opened them she was twenty years old again, dressed in her familiar yellow bikini and miniskirt with bows decorating her arms.  “It feels kind of weird wearing my hair this long,” she admitted, grabbing a strand and eyeing it.  She felt Auron’s eye trailing over the exposed skin on her body and flushed.  When his wayward inspection finally returned to her face, she shot him a glare that clearly read Not now.  He averted his eye, clearing his throat.

At that moment, however, Rikku realized she didn’t need to bother with subtlety.  Tidus had also taken Yuna’s command to heart and had returned to his original body.  She felt a pang of nostalgia as she saw him, fresh-faced at only seventeen, sitting on the bed in his old Abes blitzball uniform and wearing his blonde hair shorter and wilder.  “Yuna.”

Yuna, who had been staring at her, turned towards Tidus and gasped softly.  “Oh! I… I always knew, but I…”  She trailed off, her eyes going misty as she covered her mouth with her hands and began to weep.

Tidus, of course, panicked.  He almost instantly returned to his current ‘age’, grabbing Yuna’s shoulders.  “Look, it’s still me!  See?  What’s wrong?”

“No,” Yuna managed to say, wiping at her eyes.  “I know it’s you.  It’s not that.”  She sniffled and wiped her cheeks.  “It’s because I know now,” she said softly, looking at Tidus.  “I can’t fool myself any longer.”

“Know what?” he asked, his voice quavering with fear.

Yuna heard his uncertainty and grasped his hands, bringing them to her lips.  “I know what you’re thinking, and that’s why I’m scared.  Because it’s true.  I’m going to leave you.”

Tidus tried to pull his hands back, his eyes going too bright, but Yuna hung on and dragged them back to her chest.  “Not now.  Not in my lifetime.  But… one day, I’m going to leave you first, and it won’t be by my choice.”  She held his hand up to her cheek and closed her eyes, letting out a shaky sigh.   “Everyone is going to leave you.”  She turned and looked at Rikku.  “You, and Rikku, and Sir Jecht; all of you.  You’re the only aeons left in Spira.  That means… everyone you know and love will eventually pass away and leave you behind.  And one day you’ll become just like the others… tired of the Dreaming.”  She covered her mouth again, and Rikku realized with shock that Yuna wasn’t crying for herself.

“Yunie…” she said, closing the distance between them and throwing her arms around her.  “It’s okay.  That won’t happen for a while yet.  It’ll be fine…”  Though she said it, she glanced at Tidus, whose smile had turned pained.  “We’re not tired of life yet.  That moment’s still a long way off,” she finished.

“Oi.  Yuna.”  Jecht stepped in closer and kneeled next to the bed.  He placed a hand on her head, giving her a few cursory pats.  “All that stuff’s our problem to deal with, kid.  Not yours.  None o’ this is your fault, and you don’t have to save us.”

“Sir Jecht…”  Yuna sniffled and finally gave Jecht the hug he’d been seeking.  He ruffled her hair, smiling, and for the first time Rikku realized that it wasn’t only that Jecht liked the idea of having Yuna as his daughter… but that he was just as hungry for a family as Tidus was.  Surprisingly, it was Jecht who released Yuna first.

“’Ey, you better show some love to that crybaby over there before he turns on the waterworks,” Jecht said gruffly, pushing her towards Tidus.

“I can’t believe I’m agreeing with my old man again,” Tidus said as Yuna threw her arms around him.  “But this isn’t your problem.  Hey, I’m happy just to be here at all!  You’re the one who gave me that chance, and I wouldn’t trade my time with you for anything else.”  When he bent down to kiss her, even Jecht stood up and gave them their space without his usual litany of snark.

It was the perfect opportunity for Rikku to face Paine, who was still looking at her with concern.  “Do I have a chance at getting back any of my respect points?” she asked nervously.

Scoffing, Paine cuffed her in the arm.  “Please.  You might be an even bigger dork than Brother, but you’re still my friend.  Besides, I think fighting Sin twice and avoiding certain death got you back into the positives.”  She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.  “What does your aeon power-up look like anyway?”  Her eyebrows went up.  “Don’t tell me you turn into the Machina Maw?”

“Hah!” Rikku said, calling up her exosuit and grinning at the whistle of approval Paine gave.  “Who needs the Machina Maw when I’ve got this?”  She did a little twirl to show off, and Paine backed away from her thruster wheel before it could clip her.

“Yeah… maybe take that thing off before you burn this room down,” Paine replied, lowering her arms.

As she let her body fade back into her traveling outfit, complete with her older appearance, she felt Yuna’s eyes on her.  Facing Yuna, she took a deep breath.  “Yunie… I should’ve let you know sooner.  I’m sorry.”

Yuna shook her head, a smile on her face.  “At least you told me now.  I don’t like keeping secrets… not anymore,” she murmured, trading a look with Tidus.  “And I’m glad you three are friends.  You’ll need to learn to rely on one another when the rest of us are gone.  No matter what happens to everyone else, you’ll always have each other.  So try to get along, please?”  She directed her request to Tidus as she spoke, more of a plea than a demand.  He colored slightly, refusing to meet Jecht’s eye, but mumbled a reluctant assent. 

Though she understood what Yuna was saying, Rikku couldn’t help but glance over at Auron, who hadn’t joined the rest of the group by Yuna’s bed.  He shrugged at her, left on the outside again, and some of her relief ebbed away… she was still on a mission, after all.  She could tell by the way his eye burned intently with an unspoken command that he didn’t want her to tell Yuna about their plan for him.

“Umm… it does feel great to get all of this off my chest, but… it’s not all sunshine and moogles,” she hedged, kicking her toe into the floor.  “So… you know what happened in Luca?  Berrik’s ship didn’t misfire.  I sunk it.”

Paine made a noise of approval.  “That seals it.  You’re officially back in my good books.”

Rikku flushed.  “I mean, that’s the problem.  I didn’t just sink his ship.  Berrik was on that boat, and I killed him.”

“Are you sure?” Yuna asked, her face going pale.  “Maybe he managed to get off the ship—”

“I put my fist through his heart,” Rikku clarified.  “I’m pretty sure he was as dead as Seymour.”  She let the statement hang as the mood in the room turned dark.

“There’s no way to let Shelinda know without revealing what really happened,” Auron said.  “But it means that Berrik isn’t going to be stoppable with just an ordinary task force.”  He paused, and then said more gently, “You are still the most powerful Sender alive in Spira today.  I am sorry, Yuna.”

“No,” she replied, looking down at her hands.  “Shelinda asked me to become a Maester of New Yevon.  I haven’t given her an answer yet.  I thought I didn’t want this, but if Berrik really is an Unsent… this is exactly why I have to take that position.  He might not be the last.”  She shook her head.  “Spira still needs those who can perform the Sending.  And I can help with that.  I don’t know what it would mean for our life in Besaid… but they need me here right now.  And I want to help.”

“Wherever you go, that’s where I’ll be,” Tidus said without hesitation, prompting a smile.

“I know I’m the cause of all this,” Rikku said, feeling guilty.  “Berrik didn’t get this obsessed with me until I trashed the salvage ship and he figured out I was special, too.  But Yunie… you know I can’t stick around and help you deal with him.  If I do, Auron…”  She trailed off.  “Anyway, we can’t be there when you deal with Berrik.  Auron, Jecht and I need to get to Zanarkand.”  She bit her lip; it felt like she was running away from her responsibilities.

“Don’t worry.  You don’t need to be at Djose,” Paine said suddenly, squaring her shoulders.  “The Guardians aren’t that incompetent.  We can handle one dead Al Bhed try-hard.”

Yuna nodded.  “If he’s really obsessed with you, I think it might be better if you weren’t there.  It could make him… worse,” she said delicately, and Rikku just knew she was thinking about Seymour in his Flux form.  Yuna smiled.  “Don’t worry about him.”  She glanced at Auron, then looked back at Rikku knowingly.  “Go do whatever you need to do to protect the one you love.”

“Speaking of,” Tidus said, pulling Yuna closer to himself.  “Don’t expect me to come with you guys.  I’m staying right next to Yuna this time.”

“Well, wait a sec here,” Jecht said irritably, crossing his arms.  “Are you tellin’ me this is my first chance to hang out with my family, an’ you’re not gonna even let me stay?”  His hair and beard frosted over with white again, and his mouth turned down into a sullen sulk.

“Oh!”  Yuna shook her head.  “No, we couldn’t leave immediately anyway.  Grand Maester Shelinda thought we’d be safer if we stayed here, out of the way of any trouble.  She’s been so helpful that I couldn’t just leave her without saying anything.”

“Alright!  Then it’s settled… we’ll camp out here for a few days before we split,” Rikku decided, swaying in place.  She felt lighter than ever; Yuna and Paine knew all about her now.  It was freeing, like she’d cast off a burden she hadn’t even realized she was carrying.  Even though she knew the chances of YRP reforming were slim, it was the closest she’d felt to the other two in years.  “You guys,” she added, looking between Paine and Yuna.  “Are you really okay with all this?”

Paine smirked.  “On the weirdness scale for you, this is only a four in my book.”  She held out her hand.  “We’re still a team.”

Yuna nodded, sitting forward and placing her hand on top of Paine’s.  “That’s right, Y!”

Grinning from ear to ear, Rikku slammed her hand on top of theirs.  “R!”

Paine smiled and traded a glance with them.  All together, they threw their hands into the air as she shouted “P!”

They laughed as Tidus shook his head.  “Y-R-P?  Your team cheer is pretty cringe worthy, you know.”

“Says the guy who got laughing from balconies in Luca classed as a misdemeanor.”  Paine smirked at him.

“Hey!  Yuna helped!”

Jecht was watching with interest, chin in hand.  “Wow… it’s like you’re yer own cheerleaders.”  He snapped his fingers.  “’Ey, ya think we should’ve come up with somethin’ like that for Team BARJ?  A little cheer, a special handshake?  It ain’t too late, right?”

“No!” Auron and Rikku chimed in tandem, sending Jecht into another pout.

Tidus grimaced.  “Another nickname?  BARJ?  You’re kidding me.  You know what?  I don’t know any of you.”  He snuggled up to Yuna.  “How about we leave this team name competition and strike out on our own?”

Rikku couldn’t resist poking fun at them.  “Yeah!  That’s perfect!  We can call you two Team Tuna!”

The ensuing groans that pelted her were definitely worth it.

.x.x.x.

Somehow, Rikku managed to put off meeting with Shelinda for a while longer.  Gippal and Paine were helpful, considering how many conferences the three of them attended as they tried to coordinate the attack on Djose with their various faction members over Shinra’s mobile CommSpheres.  Despite her best attempts to lay low with Auron and Jecht whether on the Celsius or in the city itself, in the end she was still one of the parties directly involved by the Restorationist rebellion.  The meeting was inevitable, and after the second day they managed to agree on a time and place.

So now Rikku picked nervously at her fingernails as she sat outside the ornate double doors that would lead to the audience room where Shelinda was waiting inside.  “She wasn’t always this intimidating,” she whispered to Auron, who’d chosen to stay close to her side.  “Should I be scared?”

“You should be cautious.  She’s the youngest ever sitting Grand Maester,” he replied.  “It’s no surprise.  The quiet ones usually snap the hardest when they reach their limit.”

Nodding, Rikku glanced around the hall, wishing Jecht was with them for moral support. Instead, he was noticeably absent; apparently he’d managed to find Garnet again and was currently organizing a Blitzball Shot Exhibition for the fans with Tidus.  Probably more like a father-son competition, knowing Jecht and Tidus, but she was sure it would be fine.  The palace had a large reserve of spare blitzballs in their storage, after all.

What she wasn’t sure of was if she would be fine.  Shelinda had never been overly fond of the Al Bhed, and the two massive figures standing guard outside the doors were giving her pause.  One was an older man whose mostly-shaved head sported a long blond queue and a seriously impressive moustache that drooped well below his chin.  He was even broader and more muscle-packed than Auron, and as tightly-wound as a spring.

His companion wasn’t much smaller: despite his shorter stature and youthful face, he was just as swole as his stone-faced companion.  He hid it under a tattered trench coat and baggy pants, but Rikku could see he was a hulking bruiser despite his casual pose.  Still, he was exponentially less intimidating than his partner for one reason alone… he had the energy of an enormous puppy.

“Sooo… you’re the Al Bhed Princess, huh?  You don’t look like much of a princess to me.  No fancy dresses, no crowns or anything.  How can anybody tell you’re royalty?”

“Villiers!”  The other guard’s reprimand was as stern as his glare.  “Don’t consort with the –”

“Enemy?” Auron finished for him, crossing his arms and stepping forward, his eye narrowing.  “Is that what we are?”

“Aww, c’mon, Yang!”  The tension between the two men evaporated as the hulking puppy leaned over to deliver a surprisingly powerful punch in the shoulder to his partner, knocking the larger man off balance.  “I thought I told you to call me Snow already!  Can’t you lighten up?  I was only asking her a question!”  Snow turned back to Rikku, his eyes alight with curiosity.  “There still aren’t many Al Bhed who like to hang out in Bevelle.  Sir Gippal’s the first one I’ve met!  He seems a lot more like royalty than you, though.”  He snorted.  “Must be because he’s so stuck up.”

Rikku stifled a grin.  “Are you saying I should be more stuck up?  ‘Kneel before me and lick my boots, peasant?’” she ordered in a high falsetto, before giggling.  “Please!  The Al Bhed don’t have royalty, that’s why this whole war is so stupid!  There’s nothing to ‘restore’ in the first place!  Berrik’s out of his mind.”

“Yeah?  Well, he’s a crazy man with an army.  That can’t be a good combination,” Snow replied, settling back against the wall with a sigh.  “At least you’re on our side, right?”

“You make too many assumptions,” Yang grumbled, crossing his arms.  “They could be spies, sent to infiltrate us.”

Auron mirrored his pose.  “Do we really look that incompetent to you?”

Rikku flushed and leaned over.  “Uhh… Aaron?  We’re traveling with Jecht.”

Auron froze.  “Point taken.”  Clearing his throat, he faced Yang.  “Regardless, we are not spies.  We want to stop Berrik just as much as you do.”

“That remains for Grand Maester Shelinda to decide,” Yang said firmly, as much to Snow as to them. 

At that moment, a bell on the door tinkled softly, and both Yang and Snow stood at attention.  “… The Grand Maester will see you now,” Yang finished, reaching for the doors and swinging them open.

Standing up, Rikku trailed after Auron into the opulent room.  Cloth tapestries intricately decorated with the symbol of Yevon hung everywhere, accented by enormous colorful feathers and brightly-lacquered paintings.  In a way, it felt like stepping back into the past, and Rikku felt herself tensing.

Shelinda sat behind a desk piled high with paperwork on what looked to be the most uncomfortable chair Rikku could fathom doing deskwork in.  It seemed more like a throne than an office chair, and dwarfed the desk – which looked like a fairly recent addition to the room – completely.  Sandwiched between the two pieces of furniture, Shelinda herself seemed tiny and diminutive.

She peered up from her papers, adjusting her glasses – those were new – before blinking and rising to her feet.  “Lady Rikku, and Guardian Aaron, was it?  Welcome!”  As she stepped out from behind the desk, Rikku saw that Shelinda had ditched her baggy pants in favor of a much more formal-looking robe in the Grand Maester’s imperial reds and purples.  She even wore a replica of Mika’s black cap over her long red hair.  “It’s so good to see you again after all these years.”

Rikku smiled thinly; as much as Shelinda had fawned over Yuna in the past, she’d never done the same for Rikku.  Of course there hadn’t been any reason for her to, but Rikku still remembered the sting of Shelinda believing every lie the then-Grand Maester Mika had fed to her – even to the extent of blaming Yuna’s excommunication on the Al Bhed.  Her warm greeting now seemed more a matter of formality than sincerity, and it set Rikku’s teeth on edge.

Sensing her tension, Auron leaned down.  “Guard your emotions.  She is still our ally,” he murmured in her ear.

Gritting her teeth, Rikku pasted on a smile.  “Hey Shelinda.  Long time no see!”

Behind her, she heard Yang sputtering.  “Lady Rikku!  You should address the Grand Maester with the proper respect of her title!”

Shelinda waved the angry warrior-monk down.  “It’s fine.  The two of you can leave us.  We’re all friends here after all, aren’t we?”  Her beatific smile brokered no argument.  Rikku turned to watch Yang and Snow retreat after a short bow, and swallowed.

As the doors closed, Shelinda turned on her.  “You’re a hard woman to get ahold of,” she said, leaning against her desk.

“Well, what can I say?”  Rikku leaned back and crossed her arms over her head.  “I’m a busy girl.”

Shelinda’s fixed smile didn’t waver.  “Busy doing what?  I’ve been trying to meet with you for nearly three days now.”  Her tone didn’t match her pleasant expression.

“Busy running away from my stalker?” Rikku shot back, bristling.  “Berrik tried to kill us all in Luca, you know!  I met him in Kilika and told him I didn’t want anything to do with his faction, and a rail gun to the face was his reply!”

“So you mean to say you’ve met with him privately, then.”  Shelinda’s plastic smile finally dropped, and Auron shifted at her side.

“Are you arresting us?” he said bluntly.

Shelinda stared at them for a long moment, and then sighed.  “No.  You’re correct, even if you had been working with him before, I don’t think you’d still be after that near-miss in Luca.  Praise Yevon that his gun malfunctioned.”

Rikku bit her tongue to keep the comment that wanted to bubble out in check.  “I was never working with him!” she growled instead.

“Forgive me if I can’t take your statements at face value, Lady Rikku.  But you must see what I have to work with.”  Shelinda spread her arms.  “He has promised your entire family a life of wealth and power.  Your father was actively supporting him up until last week.  Your brother briefly joined his faction early on.  And you have recently become the central focus of his misguided cult worship.  Yet during this time of crisis, you have refused to even meet with me.”

“Hold up.”  Rikku blinked.  “What was that last part?  About me being some kind of focus?”

“You haven’t heard?”  Shelinda seemed genuinely surprised.  “I see.  So you really weren’t involved then?  In that case, perhaps Sir Gippal and Commander Paine were trying to shelter you.  It’s better if you know, though.”

“Know what?” Rikku asked with a sinking feeling.

“Berrik has declared you to be the immortal spirit of the Al Bhed.  A god, if you will.”  Shelinda pursed her lips into a tight frown.  “They’re claiming that you’ve lived since ancient times, helping the Al Bhed out in a mortal disguise whenever they’re in need.  You were apparently Lord Braska’s wife once, joining him on his Pilgrimage to defeat Sin.  And then you became Lady Yuna’s cousin, so you could do the same during her Pilgrimage.  Now they’re claiming you’ll rise to lead this rebellion against the rest of Spira in the form of an unstoppable sentient machina.”

Rikku had already started swaying from the moment she heard Lord Braska’s wife, but her legs actually did give out at the declaration that she was a sentient machina; her exosuit must have made more of an impression on him than she realized.  Also, he wasn’t quite that far off the mark; in a way, Berrik’s description of Eden was spot on, even though he’d never seen her in that form.

Fortunately Auron caught her before she could end up in a stunned heap on the floor at Shelinda’s feet.  “He whaaaaat now?!” she choked out, regaining her balance as he steadied her.  “This is beyond terribad!  He’s telling everyone I’m a machina god?!”

Shelinda nodded slowly.  “I know this must come as a great shock to you, Lady Rikku.  But admit I’m a little relieved by your response.  We didn’t quite know what to make of your presence here, but Sir Gippal and High Summoner Yuna stayed the hand of my Warrior-Monks.”

Auron snorted through his nose.  “You mean your hand.  The Warrior-Monks are an extension of the Grand Maester’s will.”  He stared Shelinda down, his voice softening dangerously.  “This is a new era, madam.  Take care that you don’t fall back into the bad habits of the old one.”

Shelinda met his glare, her own expression tightening.  A flicker of uncertainty passed over it as she stared at him, though.  “Do I… know you from somewhere?” she murmured.

Before Shelinda could continue on her panic-inducing scrutiny of Auron, a loud noise from outside distracted them all.  The muffled sounds of shouting could be heard outside the door; it sounded like Yang and—

The doors burst open.  “Sir Gippal!  You can’t enter, the Grand Maester is in conference –!”

“Can it, square!” Gippal growled as he pushed past Yang.  His eye lit on Rikku, and he tensed even more.  “Found you.  Get on the Celsius right now, Rikku!”

Auron straightened.  “What happened?” he asked as bells began to chime through the halls.

Shelinda’s mouth dropped open.  “We’re under attack?  But how?!   They can’t have possibly reached Bevelle in that short of a time— eep!”  Her words cut off as Yang and Snow rushed into the room and began to muscle her out the door, obviously following some sort of plan.  “What’s going on?!” she yelled, struggling against them.

“Djose was a feint.  There was only a skeleton crew there,” Gippal said tersely.  “Berrik’s been quietly moving his troops across the bay on some new type of stealth war boats.  They’re already here, and we gotta move.  Now,” he barked, trading a glance with Auron before turning on his heel and striding out the door.

Auron’s eye glinted as Rikku stared up at him, feeling something curdling in her stomach.  “This is bad, isn’t it?”

He nodded faintly.  “Berrik’s not here for Bevelle.  He’s coming after you.”                 

Chapter Text

The corridors of Bevelle’s palace churned with people rushing in every direction.  Priests and Senders seemed to be acting under orders to evacuate the civilian population away from the waterfront.  The few Warrior Monks and Guardians that had remained behind in Bevelle were in contrast rushing towards the western edge of the city to meet the threat.  Still, on the whole it seemed to be more chaos than coordination; no-one had been expecting an attack on the heart of Bevelle so soon on the heels of the disaster in Luca.

Even though she knew where they were going, it was difficult to push through the busy corridors towards the rooftop where the Celsius was docked.  As they neared the elevator, Rikku lost sight of Gippal’s mop of spiked blond hair when Auron yanked on her hand.  She spun from the force of it, landing against his chest as he stepped back into an alcove.

“Auron, wha-”  Her question ended in a muffled cry when he planted his lips on hers.

The sounds of shouting and footsteps pounding through the hallway faded; somehow, her world narrowed down to the pressure of his mouth against hers and the weight of his fingertips on her hips.  He leaned into her, and her already-adrenaline-spiked pulse curdled into a heat that pooled low in her belly.  There was an edge of something frantic and raw to his kiss; an echo of the desperation he’d taken her with on the Farplane.  Her heartbeat thundered in her ears in time with his hands kneading against her skin.  Auron drew away from her before he could lose control, leaving her gasping in surprise.

It took a moment for her to be able to form words again; he wasn’t much better off, from the way she could feel him struggling to practice his breathing exercises while holding her against his chest.  “Not that I mind, but is now really the time and place for this?” she asked him breathlessly.

“Now is exactly the time and place.”  Auron’s lone eye burned into her.  “You’re going to ask me to stay back.”  It wasn’t a question, rather an accusation as his arms tightened around her.  “To withdraw and let you face Berrik alone.  Again.”

Her silence was probably what gave her away, and he dropped his forehead against hers with a heavy sigh.  “I will respect your wishes.  But I don’t have to like them.”  His arms grew tighter around her, almost painfully so.  “This is the one thing I understand.  That I am good at.  This is the one place I could be of the most use to you, supporting you.  Yet it is the one thing you won’t let me do.”

“You’re good at a lot more than just fighting, you know,” Rikku corrected, melting bonelessly into his tight hold.  “Your days of being a soldier were over even before we met.  I’ve always seen you as a teacher and a guide more than anything else.  That’s why I don’t want you with me when I face him.”

“Because I will lose myself?”

She nodded faintly.  “Don’t make it a self-fulfilling prophecy, Auron.  You’re better than you think you are.  You always have been.  I won’t let you throw yourself away on someone as worthless as that guy.  I can handle him.”  She lifted her head and looked up at him.  “But I can’t handle losing you again.”

He leaned down to kiss her, this time more languidly, though she could still feel the dark undercurrent of desire surging through him.  Not just thrumming with lust, but also hints of violence.  When he pulled away from her, panting, his pupil was blown and his entire eye was glowing faintly.  He inhaled deeply, forcibly slowing his breaths.  “I could say the same to you.  Death made Seymour stronger.  You don’t know what it has done to Berrik.”  He brushed a few wayward strands of hair away from her face, his eye losing the eerie glow as it tracked the movement of his finger against her skin.  “Be careful.”  His arms finally loosened, and he pulled back.

“You’re not coming with us to the Celsius?” she asked when he made no other attempt to move from the wall.

“My place is here, with my men… even if they don’t recognize me.  I’ll join the battle on the ground.”

She nodded, biting her lip.  “Don’t let them rile you up, okay?”

“You’re the only one who has that privilege,” he told her with the ghost of a smile.

“Rikku!”  She heard Gippal’s angry shout echoing over the noise in the hallway.

“Guess that’s my ride.”  Reluctantly, she stepped away from Auron, who was staring at her as though he’d never see her again.  “I love you,” she said in a rush.  Of course he knew; they’d long moved past the point of having to say it out loud.  She couldn’t keep those words to herself, though, not when he was looking at her like she was a mirage that was about to disappear.  Certainly not when she’d felt how fragile his grip on sanity was becoming.

“And I you,” he answered, finally pulling away from the alcove.  “Now go, and end this.”

She turned on her heel and sprinted for the elevator, resisting the urge to look over her shoulder and watch him leave.  Focus, she reminded herself, spying Gippal waiting impatiently on the platform that would bring them to the roof.

“Took you long enough,” Gippal said, slamming on the lift’s controls before she’d even cleared the platform.  “Where’s Aaron?”

“He’s not coming.” 

Something in her tone made Gippal pause and look back at her.  “Hey… you okay?” he asked gently.

“My Unsent stalker is invading Bevelle with an army just to meet me.  What do you think?”

Gippal’s eyebrow shot upwards.  “Berrik’s an Unsent?  You sure about that?”

Rikku glared at him.  “Yes.  I’m absolutely sure.  Stop trying to act so dumb when you’re the smartest person I know.”

Gippal raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture as the lift slowed to a stop.  “Ouch, okay!  Back off.”  He shook his head and stepped out.  “You seem to be collecting those.  That isn’t healthy, you know.”

“Huh?” she asked, following him out.  “Collecting what?”

“Obsessive Unsent admirers.  Maybe you should think about your life and your choices.”  He smirked while waving a hand at the Celsius, which dropped its rope ladder a moment later.

Rikku kicked him in the back of the knee as he reached for the lowest rung, causing him to stumble and lose his grip.  “Still a no, Gip!” she yelled over her shoulder as she shimmied up the ladder first.

“Can’t blame a guy for trying,” he quipped as he scrambled to his feet to follow her.

Brother was already circling the airship towards the harbor by the time they reached the bridge; Buddy and Calli flanked him in the twin co-piloting chairs.

“Hey Rikku!  This is crazy, isn’t it?” Calli chirped from her perch, bubbling with nervous energy.  “I’ve never been in a war before!”

“This is no laughing matter!” Brother scolded her, his eyes glued to the windshield.  “I do not know how we are going to stop the Fahrenheit.  We build this airship for speed, not combat!  What are we going to do?  Yell at him to turn around with very stern faces?”

“Just get me close enough to board it,” Rikku growled.  “You better believe I can stop that ship.”

“Unless you have an exit strategy, that is not a plan,” Gippal said sharply.  “Buddy, you got anything on your scanners yet?”

“He’s coming in hot, but Bevelle’s got bigger problems,” Buddy said, pointing through the glass at the city below.

They had a front-row seat to the sight of several fast-moving ships cutting through the water of Bevelle Bay like spears.  There were around a dozen of the small, sleek ships, and they were all aimed unerringly at the city’s walls. They didn’t even try to avoid the breakwaters protecting the coastline, their armored hulls smashing through the structures with ease.  The fleet beached itself on the shore, hatches spilling open to reveal rows of machina-laden Al Bhed soldiers.  They swept towards the city walls in a wave, both on foot and mounted on two-legged mechs eerily reminiscent of the Machina Maw.

“I didn’t think they’d be able to move that fast,” Gippal swore.  “Those assault ships and war mechs are new designs.  Never seen ‘em before.”

“This was why they were making the road patrols go crazy.”  Rikku shook her head.  “Just another smokescreen to keep peoples’ eyes off the ocean.  There’s so many of them!”

“They are like ants swarming,” Brother complained.  “All of them!  Right here!  Yuna!”

Calli’s face turned bright red and she slapped a few controls on the panel.  “You want them stopped?  Fine then!  Rikku, you remember how to drive this, right?”  She was already climbing up the platform, activating her personal Garment Grid.  “As long as this ship has Gullwings, it’s got weapons!”

Brother’s head twisted around so abruptly that the airship veered to follow the motion, prompting an angry yell from Buddy.  “CALLI!  Where are you going?  It is dangerous out there!”

“Somebody needs to protect your precious Yuna!” Calli fired back before stomping through the automatic door to leave the bridge.

“Get your eyes back on the sky!  I can’t fly this ship by myself!” Buddy barked at Brother, who snapped his attention forward again.

“Disasterrific.”  Rikku grabbed Gippal and shoved him towards Calli’s abandoned co-pilot seat.  “You fly this thing!”

“What?!  I don’t know how!” Gippal squawked, though he was already narrowing his eyes at the controls as he slid into the chair.

“Well figure it out, because I’m not letting my big brother’s only chance at romance fight all by herself!”  Rikku chased after the other girl, managing to catch the elevator to the deck before the hatch closed.

Calli lifted the brim on her floppy hat and looked up in surprise, already clad in familiar-looking black magician garb.  “Rikku?  But you’re not even wearing a Garment Grid!”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve,” she said, summoning her exosuit and the Godhand.

“U-uhm… Rikku?”  Calli’s eyes went wide, and Rikku glanced at her.

“New Shinra tech.  Top secret,” she whispered, winking.  “Don’t tell Brother about it!”

That prompted a reaction as Calli’s shock melted into a definite pout.  “Don’t worry.  He wouldn’t even notice if I did, since he’s too busy pining for his precious cousin.”

Wincing, Rikku thought about trying to defuse Calli’s ire.  Then she shrugged – strong emotions would help her power her Garment Grid, and from the looks of things Berrik hadn’t been holding back.  She sent out a mental apology to Brother while nodding emphatically at the other girl.  “Yeah!  You better make him notice you this time.  With explosions!”

“Right!” Calli yelled as the hatch opened, the whistling winds tearing her shout away.  They both ran out onto the deck, scanning the shoreline below.

Brother swung the Celsius out over the bay.  As they passed over the walls, Rikku watched soldiers and Warrior Monks preparing to intercept the encroaching troops, accompanied by some of the ancient mobile war machina that still protected the city.  On the other side, the Al Bhed were busy scaling the walls with automated climbing gear or, if they were on the mechanized armor suits, simply digging their machina’s claws into the wall itself and walking up the side.

“Bevelle doesn’t know about the mechs yet.”  Raising her voice, Rikku yelled back towards the ship.  “Bring us closer to the outer walls!”

The intercom crackled, and Brother’s voice boomed over the deck.  “Kud ed!” 

“Aim for the mounted ones,” Rikku instructed Calli.  “The Warrior Monks can handle the foot soldiers, but we’ve gotta thin out all those machina!”

“Y-yes!” Calli stuttered, whirling her staff around and pointing it at one of the mechs nearing the apex of the wall.  “Lightning strike, thunder smite!” she yelled as her Thundaga spell slammed into it.  Rikku tried not to listen to the screams as the mech froze, losing its grip and sending both itself and its occupants tumbling towards the ground.

Squinting, Rikku separated the wheel on her back, re-forming the two lasers that had helped her take down Berrik’s salvage ship.  She targeted even more of the climbing mechs, firing in short bursts like she was running through another one of Beclem’s Gunner Gauntlets.  Unfortunately, Auron was right about one thing he’d once called her out on – her aim was terrible.  Calli’s unerring black magic was doing more to stop the climbing mechs than her ill-fated laser blasts, which were peppering Bevelle’s walls with scorch marks and causing several of the Al Bhed foot soldiers to panic.

“I thought you said to aim at the mechs?”  Calli fried another machina as they doubled back across the outer wall.  She clapped her hands and cheered as one of Rikku’s stray shots actually managed to hit a climbing mech and make it fall.  “Oh look!  You finally got one!”

Rikku decided not to tell the other girl she hadn’t been aiming for that one.  “Every little bit helps!” she blustered instead, turning red with embarrassment.  Twisting, she shook her fist towards the cockpit.  “Hey, can’t you fly a little slower so I can aim?”

“Ruf yna oui cu pyt yd drec?!” Brother yelled back at her, his frustration evident.

A few of the climbing Al Bhed twisted on their ropes and began firing on them, trying to protect themselves.  Rikku separated her lasers into her reactive shields, but Calli let out a short scream and fell over as a bullet grazed her.

“Calli!”  The Celsius veered away from the wall abruptly, sending them both sliding across the deck; Rikku angled her tumble to end near the other girl, shoving an Al Bhed potion into her mouth. 

“I’m… I’m fine,” Calli sputtered, coughing and struggling to her feet while holding her shoulder.  Her costume was dissipating, though, and a look of frustration stole over her face.  “I just lost my concentration!”

“You should get back inside,” Rikku told the woozy girl.  “You’ll fall off the ship at this rate!”

“But what about you?”

Rikku grinned.  “I’ve still got my, uh, my dressphere, see?  Don’t sweat it, I’ll be fine.”  She all but wrestled Calli into the cargo hatch and sent her back on her way to bridge.

It was too late to continue the aerial assault anyway; the Al Bhed they hadn’t managed to slow crested the wall.  From their elevated positions Berrik’s troops began their attack.  There was some sporadic return fire from Bevelle’s machina, but it was clear that the city was outgunned, especially when the Al Bhed mechs opened fire on the buildings.

The intercom crackled again, and this time Gippal’s voice sounded.  “Rikku!  Got a message from Paine.  She’s with Aaron on the streets, and Tidus is sticking by Yuna at the Palace with the civvies.  Focus on the Fahrenheit!”

“Yeah, but…” Rikku looked back towards the walls, where the Al Bhed were now spilling down into the city and engaging Bevelle’s martial forces.  Their upgraded weaponry was fierce – it was no wonder Gippal and Berrik had been at each other’s throats for the past few years.  From the looks of things, the Machine Faction had lost many of its top technicians and Sanubian dig finds to Berrik’s empty promises.  She winced as too many of Bevelle’s vanguard fell to the unexpected firepower of the Restorationist army.

But their rapid push into the city stalled as the older Warrior Monks joined the fray.  Rikku could only describe them as frighteningly effective, even against the new machina weapons.  They’d trained their whole lives to fight – many of them specifically against the Al Bhed, she realized, seeing echoes of Auron’s fighting style in the brutal way they took down their opponents.  Unfortunately, even they were pushed back by the heavy artillery fire of the war mechs that managed to escape her and Calli’s attacks.  The only saving grace was how obviously uncoordinated Berrik’s army was; though they had the technological superiority, none of them displayed the rigid combat training of Bevelle’s forces.

“We can’t leave them to face that machina army by themselves!” Rikku yelled at the cockpit, jumping angrily as the airship ascended away from the clash.

Her protests dried out as an explosion rocked the city; glancing back, she realized that it wasn’t yet another new weapon from the invading forces.  Instead, a whirling blaze of fire licked out from between the buildings, larger than any she’d seen before.  “Auron,” she breathed, recognizing his tornado attack.  Further away, there was another glint of light as the wickedly sharp blades of Paine’s Full Throttle came into view.  In her special dressphere, she towered over even the Al Bhed mechs, making a terrifying sight as she sprinted full-speed towards the invaders.

The Celsius continued its journey over the bay, and Rikku lost track of the battle within the city.  Another sight caught her eye, though – the assault ships that had landed on the shore were decimated, most of them reduced to nothing more than scraps of twisted metal scattered across the beach.  A few of them had pulled back into the bay’s waters and were racing away from the city.  She soon saw why when one of the ships jerked to a stop and crumpled in half, disappearing into the bay’s depths.  Moments later, Jecht came shooting out from beneath the wreckage in his full glory as Braska’s final aeon.  He summoned a flaming meteor to his hand, then tossed it as casually as if he was skipping rocks over the water rather than sinking warships.  His eerie glowing eyes tracked one of the boats that had escaped his meteor strike, and then he dove back under the water, disappearing with barely a splash to give chase.

The intercom crackled, and Gippal’s voice rolled over the deck.  “What the hell was that nautical nightmare?”

“Who cares?  He’s on our side!” Rikku shouted back, silently cheering Jecht on.  “How’s Bevelle doing?”

“Yuna summoned her final aeon again, so she’s got it covered.”  She could hear the hesitation in Gippal’s voice, knowing exactly what he wasn’t saying – that he’d never seen a Summoner summon two aeons at the same time.

“The Fahrenheit is coming straight for us,” he continued after the slight pause.  “If you’ve got any ideas, now’s the time to share with the class.”

Turning, Rikku saw why he was so nervous.  The Fahrenheit was fast approaching and its missile ports were open.  “Uh… not good, not good,” she muttered, backing up against the hatch.

Brother, however, had different plans.  Even without weapons, he chose to increase the Celsius’s speed, engaging the other airship in a deadly game of chicken.  It really was the only defense they had against any sort of attack; with its velocity and unique controls, the Celsius was far more maneuverable than the Fahrenheit.  At the last minute they veered off, the Celsius going high while the Fahrenheit veered low, away from its course towards Bevelle.

“You guys are gonna get yourselves killed!” she yelled as the ship turned sharply.  A hissing sound and telltale plumes of smoke told her the Fahrenheit had released some of its missiles towards them.  Kneeling down, Rikku reformed her lasers and fired indiscriminately at them, trying to prevent their ship from being hit.  Explosions rocked through the air, but one of the missiles made it through, slamming into the underbelly of the Celsius.  The metal below her feet shuddered, and the ship began to spiral.

Leaping off, Rikku activated her jets and rose into the air, watching with worry as the airship careened towards the now-churning waters of the bay.  “Brother!”

Somehow, Brother managed to right the ship, coming perilously close to the water before gaining altitude.  It was clear that they couldn’t continue to block the Fahrenheit from reaching Bevelle, not without destroying the Celsius in the process.

“This is crazy,” Rikku swore to herself as she twisted in midair and dove after the Fahrenheit.  In the distance, she saw Alexander standing before the palace, periodically emitting bursts of bright white light.  Even though he was a gigantic winged fortress at the moment, Rikku could tell that Tidus was pissed.

Well, at least Yunie will be alright.  She refocused on the Fahrenheit, putting on some speed to catch up with it.  Rikku was fully prepared to punch through the Fahrenheit’s hull just like she had on the salvage ship when something struck her from above.  Spiraling out of control, she adjusted her thrusters until she came to an unsteady hover, gasping for breath.   Electricity danced up and down her arms, slowing her reactions.

“My goddess,” she heard Berrik call out to her, entirely too close for comfort.  “You’ve finally arrived.”

She looked up, disbelieving, to see Berrik hovering in the air before her, wearing… an exosuit?  Her exosuit, she realized.  Bits and pieces of it were different, of course, but with that rotating wheel on his back, she knew the design was uniquely hers… just as much as her Samurai sphere had belonged to Auron.

He recorded a sphere of me, she realized with a sinking feeling as she shook off the last vestiges of shock.  “You stole that power!  That Garment Grid doesn’t belong to you!”

“Stolen power?  My dear, malevolent goddess, this belt has simply allowed me to touch divinity.”  The way he drew out the words sent a shudder down Rikku’s spine.  “Now, we can share in eternity.  Together, we will bring this world to its knees!”

Rather than letting him talk, Rikku rushed him, throwing her arm back for a punch.  She yelled in fury as he dodged it – he was quicker than she remembered.

As quick as I am.  Growling under her breath, Rikku tried again, this time scoring him across the cheek.  He reeled backwards, and then snapped his head up, his green eyes regarding her intently.

“I can see I’ll have to prove my worth.” 

“Arg!  Just shut up, you freakazoid!” she yelled, swooping towards him for another hit.  “I’m not your god and you need to move on!”

Berrik narrowed his eyes and lifted a hand.  Rikku screeched when he released a Thundaga spell into her.  Shaking off the pain, she brought her fists up.   Her teeth were clenched so hard she thought they might crack.

Slowly, Berrik lifted his arms as well, mirroring her fighting stance perfectly.  A faint smile graced his lips.  “Well then, my goddess?  Come at me.”

Snarling, Rikku shot towards him, reaching back to punch him.  Berrik’s hands came up to block her strike, his smug eyes darting to her face.

Grimacing, she grabbed onto his wrists and shoved his raised arms down, smacking him across the chin with her elbow instead.  It was a solid hit that sent Berrik careening away from her.

As he righted himself, she noticed him opening his palms up towards her.  Instinct had her bring her reactive shield forward to block, but Berrik’s uncontrolled fall skewed his laser blasts wide.

Still, the hairs on the back of her neck rose as she realized he’d managed to evolve the lasers on her exosuit on his own just by watching her. 

Well, maybe it’s time to get old fashioned, she thought grimly, activating her Godhand.  Lighting crackled across the metal of her knuckles.

Berrik, who’d managed to right himself, eyed her Celestial weapon with amusement.  “Hand to hand combat?  If that’s your desire.”  He extended his arm and light swirled around it, another Godhand forming on his wrist.  “Did you forget that I had the best copy technique in the entire Blitzball league?” he laughed.

Her anger crystallized into something hard and cold.  The Godhand – the real one – snapped and crackled with energy, pincers opening.  “That is just a cheap copy of the real thing,” she hissed as he rushed towards her.

Berrik’s eyes were cold and focused, his whole demeanor screaming of confidence.  She raised an arm to block his punch, and then gasped with surprise as his Godhand tore through her defenses.  The knuckle snapped her head back, and Rikku saw stars.  She righted herself before she could fall out of the sky, shaking her head to clear it.  When Berrik came into focus again, she saw he was shaking out his fist nonchalantly.

“Why you—” she ground out, cutting her exclamation short when Berrik rushed her.  She managed to twist out of the way and, thinking quickly, caught his extended forearm under her armpit and clamped down hard to trap him against her body.  Quick as lightning, she reached back and punched him repeatedly in the face while he struggled to free himself.

Blinded, he reeled backwards when Rikku let him go with no warning, swinging his arms wildly through the air.  Easily ducking underneath his frenzied attacks, she turned and drove her Godhand – still crackling with lightning – directly into his spinning thruster wheel.  Vicious satisfaction filled her as her Celestial weapon tore through the metal and planted itself firmly in the small of his back, electrocuting him. 

Berrik’s pained scream rang out while the shards of his thruster wheel crumbled away, breaking his suit’s flight capability.  Face contorting with rage, he lifted his arms while falling.  Rikku’s eyes widened; he was going to fire his hand-lasers point blank into her.  His expression faltered, however, when the salvo he loosed burned off some of her hair, grazed the top of her arm, and just scored the edge of her calf.  “What?” he yelled, his arms wind milling.  “How could I miss?!”

“Joke’s on you!  I can’t aim to save your life!”  She smirked, connecting to his abdomen with a solid kick that sent him hurtling towards the bay.  He hit the water with a loud splash, and she made to dive after him when the Celsius buzzed her, stopping her in her tracks.

“Rikku!”  Gippal’s shout was strained.  “The Fahren—”

Braking abruptly, she turned and saw the other airship had reached the city limits with every single one of its gun ports opened.  Even without the rail gun, the devastation from the sheer number of missiles the airship could fire would cripple Bevelle – and its dense population – severely.

And the ones who would be hit the hardest would be the soldiers fighting on the streets.  Berrik had already proven that he didn’t value the lives of his own forces; he might have even planned the attack in order to draw out the last of Bevelle’s troops for this ‘final’ assault on the city.

Auron!

Coldness seeped into her limbs.  Later, she’d be ashamed to admit that she hadn’t thought about the residents who might have died, nor the damage to the city.  She didn’t even consider what could happen to Yuna, Paine, or Tidus.  Instead, a blind panic for Auron’s safety overtook her – his, and his alone. 

Paradigm shift:  Assault Mode activated.

Calibrating space-time dimensional warp.

Her ears buzzed and her vision misted to white.  Time ticked to a stop as everything froze, color bleeding out of her surroundings.

Scanning...

Target identified.

Initializing weapon.

In that still, frozen world, arcane runes sprung to life, spinning lazily.  Somehow, she knew she was making them; she could see the pyreflies again.  They were the pith of Spira: the earth, the sky, the water – everything was a mass of glowing light and energy, singing to her in their odd, musical lilt.  She reached out and plucked them, reshaping reality to her will.

Weapons grid to full power.

The runes began to spin, slowly at first, and then picking up speed.  She was drifting away, becoming a part of the world that she shaped. 

Standby enemy suppression barrage...

This was Eden’s power; Eden, the true goddess of possibility.  With it, she could do anything, be anything.

Except human.

The insidious whisper stayed her hand as she reached for the essence of the world, holding her breath.  One puff, and she knew she could end it all.  But another hand covered hers, stopping her from gathering the pyreflies surrounding her.

Are you truly willing to pay the price for this power?

She shook as the grip on her hand tightened.

You would leave everyone behind.  Including Auron.

Something in her chest clenched.  A heart; a heart that didn’t beat with the pulse of the world.

Don’t hurt him as I did.  Her hand pulled back slowly towards her chest.  Towards her beating, human heart.  It’s a pretty lie we tell ourselves, that our sacrifice will save others.

She looked up into Braska’s sad, smiling face.  He wrapped his arms around her, anchoring her soul to her mostly-human body.  Don’t squander your chance, Rikku.  To remain human… that shall be your greatest triumph, your proudest legacy.

The runes faded, and sound and color slowly crept back into her world, like watercolors soaking into a wet canvas.  Gippal was still shouting at her over the intercom.

“—heit’s reached Bevelle!   It’s gonna fire on the palace!”

She could hear the anguish in his voice; they were both too far to do anything to stop the Fahrenheit.   “Auron,” she whispered.

A terrible roar filled the air, echoing out across the bay.  It was followed by the sound of twisting, tearing metal.  Two enormous wings suddenly unfurled over the city, pulsing in ethereal gold.  Alexander rose to his feet, towering over the palace, his visor opening.  Apparently Tidus had had enough of playing nice while people tried to assassinate his wife.  Pure, white light erupted from his body, arcing almost lazily over the city.  It slammed into the Fahrenheit, detonating the missiles on the airship before they could launch from their pods.

Even she felt the ripple of the shockwave hitting from the ensuing blast.  The Fahrenheit was utterly destroyed, that much was clear.  Rikku was sure parts of the city were damaged from the massive blast, too.  But the people in the streets below… they would live.  The only evidence of the near-catastrophe were plumes of white smoke rising into the air, and the multitude of delicate flakes of silver that fluttered down over the city like iridescent rain.

Chapter Text

“Missing?  What do you mean he’s missing?”

Rikku heaved a sigh.  “I mean he got away.  Sorry, I got a little distracted by the big boom over Bevelle!”

Gippal groaned, rubbing his forehead.  “So Berrik got away again.  Great.  Just great.  You know he’ll be back, right?”

“I know already!  Stop being a jerk about it!  I’m the one he’ll be coming after anyway.”  Puffing out her cheeks, Rikku stomped through the doors leading to the bridge. 

“Hey Rikku.”  Buddy didn’t look up from the controls on his panel, which were all flashing alarmingly red.  “Thanks for doing what you did out there.”

“No problem.  How’s the ship?” she asked, moving in to get a closer look at the warnings on the view screen.  She stopped when the hairs on the back of her neck prickled and looked up.

Brother was staring down at her, his mouth twisted and his eyes boring into her balefully.

“… Hey?” she tried.  “So the good news is we lived!”  Brother didn’t stop glowering, so she glanced around the cockpit.  “Umm… where’s Calli?”

“Calli is treating her wounds.”  Brother transferred his glare to Gippal.  “Did you know about this?”

“Know about what?” Gippal asked, his face carefully blank as he resettled himself at the other control panel.

Stabbing his finger at her, Brother’s voice rose in pitch.  “This!  This… new dressphere Rikku is wearing!  Where did you find it?  How did Berrik get one too?  What is it?!”

“It’s a story for later,” Rikku said tiredly, ignoring his theatrics.  “How long until we reach the city?”

“Well, with the damage we took, it’s a miracle we’re still flying,” Buddy said.  “I figure we can reach the palace in another five minutes or so, though.”

“You’re gonna dock there to do the repairs?”  Rikku wondered how much goodwill Shelinda had left for the Celsius after weathering the Al Bhed attack that decimated parts of her city.

“It’s not like we have a choice,” Buddy said, the first hints of anger clipping his usually laid-back tone.  “I can’t believe they actually shot at us!  What the hell were they thinking?  We’re all Al Bhed here!”

“I can’t believe Yuna’s aeon destroyed Spira’s only other airship,” Gippal answered, shaking his head.  “All that ancient tech… gone, just like that.  Vaporized.”

Brother scowled.  “Yuna did what she had to do.  It was the right choice!”

Rikku sighed, planting her hands on her hips.  “Are you serious right now?  Calli went out there and got shot for you, and you’re still obsessing about Yunie?  She’s married!  When are you going to grow up?”

Brother flushed red but had no answer for her, sinking low into his piloting chair.  “Thank you,” he mumbled.  “You were a big help.”

Some of her ire faded.  “You weren’t so bad yourself.  Leave me off the ship the next time you want to ram something out of the sky, though,” she added pointedly.

They shared a brief, knowing smile – despite how annoying he could get, he was still her brother.  The relief at seeing him – and the rest of the Gullwings, really – alive and healthy after that showdown did a lot to mitigate their ongoing disagreements.  She knew from the way he rolled his eyes and huffed, refocusing on the horizon, that he felt the same way about her.

“I’m gonna be on deck,” she told the others, backing away.  “I wanna take a look at the city while we pass over it.”

“Don’t fall off,” Gippal called out after her as she left.

.x.x.x.

The palace was just as busy as when they’d left, though at least the excitement seemed more controlled this time.  Shelinda was back in her office, her two beefy guards standing by her doorway as if nothing had changed.  Snow even tipped a finger at her, winking.

Inside, Shelinda wasn’t so relaxed.  On the bright side, she wasn’t mad at Rikku.  On the downside, Yuna was there.  Her cousin was unusually reticent and the rims of her eyes were tinged with red.

“What’s going on here?” Rikku asked, glancing between the two women.

“Lady Rikku!  Good that you’re here.  Maybe you can talk some sense into her,” Shelinda said by way of greeting.  “Your cousin, after that masterful display of power, simply refuses to ascend to her seat as a Maester.”  Her hands clasped together and she performed the Yevonite bow as she turned back to Yuna.  “My lady.  You are a High Summoner without peer.  How can you possibly turn your back on your divine duty as the protector of Spira?”

The pained look in Yuna’s eyes told Rikku everything she needed to know.  “Okay, that’s enough.”  Stepping up to Yuna’s side, she grabbed her cousin’s elbow and jostled her towards the door.  “You know you sounded just like Berrik right now?” she growled at Shelinda.

“Wha— why, I never!  No such disrespect was meant, High Summoner!  But you cannot deny the power which you wielded to defend our city.  We all saw it!”

Yuna bit her lip.  “You don’t even understand what you saw,” she said softly.  “I’m sorry.  But my decision is final.  This has all been too much.  I’ll still help you train your Senders, but I just can’t anymore.  I can’t join the Church again.  This isn’t the life I wanted.”

Shelinda’s lips pursed, and then she bowed deeply once again.  “Of course, High Summoner.  Please, take as much time as you require.  Bevelle will be awaiting your happy news once you see the light of revelation.”

Grimacing, Rikku escorted Yuna out the door.  “Hey,” she whispered, leaning in.  “Are you alright?  Where is everybody else?”

Yuna took a shuddering sigh, then glanced around the corridor.  “Not here,” she whispered.  They speed-walked their way back towards Yuna’s private chambers; it was disturbing how many of the people milling around the hallways stopped to drop everything and stare at Yuna in awe.  Some reached out in the hopes of receiving a blessing.  Still others simply performed the bow and remained low, waiting.

“This… is kinda creepy,” Rikku whispered back, eying the faithful.  On the plus side, none of them were giving her the stink-eye, so at least this new form of Yuna worship hadn’t devolved back into Al Bhed hating, despite Berrik’s best efforts. 

“Yeah.”  Yuna visibly relaxed when her doors came into view.  “Let’s get inside before they start bowing again.”

Once the double doors shut behind them, Yuna leaned against them and thumped her head backwards, closing her eyes.  “I just want to go home.”

“Where’s Paine in all of this?” Rikku asked, crossing her arms.  “Heck, where’s Tidus?”

Yuna looked up sharply at the last.  “I was hoping you could tell me.  He… he disappeared after he was finished as… as that…”

“Alexander,” Rikku supplied.  “He calls himself Alexander when he’s in that form.  What do you mean he disappeared?”

Yuna trembled, making her way towards her bed and all but collapsing into it.  “I mean exactly what I said.  He promised.  He promised he’d stay with me, but then he had to change, and afterwards… he was just gone.”  Rikku could hear the tears underneath Yuna’s words; her uncertainty coming back full force.

“Yunie,” she sighed, settling next to her and pulling her into a hug.  “Tidus isn’t that fragile.  I think he used his overdrive for the first time in that form.  I bet he’s just sleeping it off right now.  He’ll come back to you when he’s rested.”

“Yes… but how long will that take?  And where is he now?”

Rikku closed her eyes, thinking of how even Tidus hadn’t known where his Fayth stone was stored.  “He’s off the coast of Besaid somewhere, I’m sure of it.  Somewhere near where you first found him.  And he’s tougher than you think.  I say you should go back to Besaid and whistle for him.  I betcha he’ll come running faster than I can say ‘I told you so!’”

Yuna let out a watery laugh at Rikku’s enthusiasm.  “You really think so?”

Some of her manic cheer faded as Rikku touched her chest and inhaled deeply.  “I know so.  I think… we’d all feel it, if one of the others really disappeared forever.  Just the way you would.”  She removed her hand and tapped it against Yuna’s breastbone.  “You know he’s still alive.  And we both know he loves you way too much to stay away forever.  Have faith in him.  He’ll be back before you know it.”

Sniffing heavily, Yuna patted at her eyes and cheeks, trying to soothe away the redness from her crying.  “Thanks, Rikku.  That... actually makes me feel a little better.”

“No problem.  Besides, Shelinda’s getting all creepy on you.  It’s time to make a fast exit before another cult springs up.”

Nodding, Yuna grimaced.  “This is reminding me of the early days when the factions were competing to get me to join them.”

“What can I say?  People are greedy and tasteless.  Take it from a front-row offender.”

That finally wrought a laugh out of Yuna.  “You’re being ridiculous.  You know you’re not that bad.”

Rikku huffed.  “I know, but I have a reputation to keep up here.  So shh!  This is my way of repelling stray worshipers too, you know?”

Yuna giggled softly.  She stopped as she considered Rikku, her smile fading.  “It’s okay if you don’t want to wait here with me, you know.  I know you want to find Auron.  Paine will be coming by soon, she just needed to visit her Guardians for a report before returning to me.  She’s a natural-born leader.”

Rikku huffed in agreement.  “Why couldn’t she be the one attracting all the followers, huh?  Paine would know how to handle them.”

Yuna nodded.  She glanced at Rikku.  “Do you think it’s over now?  The Restorationist movement, I mean?”

“The movement might be.  But Berrik got away again.”  She raised her hands at Yuna’s stricken look.  “Hey, remember what Jecht said?  This isn’t your problem.  If he comes back, he’ll be coming back for revenge against me.  And when that happens, we’ll be ready.”

“But how are you going to Send him?”  Yuna twisted her hands together.  “He’ll just keep returning, stronger and more fiendish every time you fight him.”

“It won’t be like it was with Seymour,” Rikku assured her.  “I think Berrik’s grown powerful enough to resist a Sending by now anyhow,” she grumbled, thinking of his dressphere.  “We’d have to soften him up with a fight first anyway, and by that point… eh.  Might as well just drag him by force back to the Farplane anyhow and toss him in.”

Yuna giggled at the image.  “I suppose that could work.  But promise me you’ll call if you need me.”  She cast her eyes down.  “I just can’t stay here.  Not when everyone is looking at me like I could save them.”

They sat for a moment in silence, which was soon broken by a knock sounding from the door.  Before either of them could stand up, they swung inward.

“Yuna!  Rikku!  Are you hurt?” Paine strode into the room, her eyes roving over them looking for any obvious signs of injury.  Finding none on Rikku, she focused on Yuna instead.

“I’m fine,” Yuna said demurely.  The catch in her voice clued Paine into the fact that Yuna wasn’t, really, and she approached the bed quickly.  “It’s Tidus, isn’t it.  Where is he?”

Yuna squeezed her eyes shut, and Paine let out a sigh and settled next to the other girl, encompassing her in a hug.  As she did so, she looked over Yuna’s shoulder at Rikku.

“Auron was with me until just now.  He’s making his way to the Celsius.  He thinks you’re on it.  If you hurry, you can catch him.”

“Yeah, but…”  Rikku glanced at Yuna, who was still leaning against Paine and looking exhausted.

“I’ve got this.  And I think maybe you should find Auron,” Paine added, a note of warning in her voice.

“Yes ma’am,” Rikku said, springing to her feet.  She was nearly out the door when Paine stopped her.

“Did you get Berrik?”

“No.”  She turned part-way, and gave Paine a tight smile.  “But that jerk is the least of my problems right now.”

Leaving, she raced down the corridors, opting to sprint up the long stairs rather than wait for one of Bevelle’s lifts.  Paine’s softly-delivered order had her imagining the worst.  Is Auron’s eye glowing?  Did he threaten the clergy in the Palace?  Is he going to attack the Gippal or the Gullwings once he realizes I’m not on the Celsius?  The fears pooling in her mind sped her feet, and she flew up the staircase so quickly she nearly crashed into Auron’s back face-first when she came across him unexpectedly.

He turned and caught her before they could go tumbling down yet another set of stairs.  “Rikku,” he breathed, and she looked up in time to see the grey receding from his hair.

Oh.  She reached up, smoothing away some of the deep lines on his exposed cheek and impatiently tore off the headdress hiding the rest of his face from her.  “You got older again.”

“I was worried.”  He crushed her against him.  “I didn’t know what was happening when the Fahrenheit exploded.  I thought they might have destroyed the Celsius first.”  His grip loosened marginally as he pushed her back to inspect her.  “You’re hurt,” he said, brushing his knuckles against the tender spot on her chin.

Soothing white magic flowed through her from his whispered spell, easing the dull ache.  He stroked a finger down her jaw, repeating the spell again and only relaxing when he was satisfied with the results.  As he dropped his hand, he met her gaze.  “I think I worried your friend Paine.”

“I’ll say,” Rikku agreed.  “The way she put it, I thought you were going full fiend on me.”

Auron twitched, his stern expression packing the years that he’d just melted off in her embrace back onto his face.  “Don’t joke about that.  It’s a real danger.  At least Braska’s seal is still holding.”

Grabbing his hand, Rikku led him up the steps at a more sedate pace.  “Relax.  Lemmie catch you up on what happened so far.”  She began to chatter, telling him of her adventure the airship, what she’d seen over the city, of her encounter with Shelinda and Yuna, and of Tidus’s disappearance.  Auron said nothing as she talked incessantly, but he didn’t release her hand.  He gradually returned to his youthful appearance by the time they exited onto the roof of the palace.  The Celsius was still parked there, and a wave of her hand had whoever was helming the cockpit dropping the rope ladder for them quickly.

“… Do you think Jecht disappeared too?” she asked as Auron grabbed the ladder and held it steady for her.

“Jecht has lived in Spira as an aeon for far longer than either you or Tidus.  He’ll be able to handle himself.  If he doesn’t return to the Celsius before we’re ready to leave, we can simply pick that lazy jackass up from Macalania again.”

“I hope you’re right,” Rikku said as she climbed up the ladder.  Auron followed closely behind; her hand sought out his again once they were both on board.  Together, they made their way towards the bridge.  “How are you doing, though?  I saw that Tornado you unleashed from the sky.  Are you okay?”

“I am now.”  Auron squeezed her hand.  “I feel… tired.  More tired than I should be, after a battle like that.  But we are together, and that is all that matters.”  He stooped to plant a brief kiss against the side of her mouth.  “In fact, I think this attack has given me something more to focus on.”   He stopped moving, and pulled on her arm until she was facing him.

“Berrik will come for you.  This is a certainty, not a possibility.  And so I will continue to remain by your side until he is defeated.”  He paused, and then chuckled lightly.  “It isn’t as grand a purpose as destroying the Church of Yevon.  But it helps keep the insanity at bay.”

Rikku scowled at his blunt appraisal of himself.  “You know, I’m not gonna stick around and see if he comes back for me.  If there’s one thing I’ve finally learned, it’s to stop waiting for someone else to give me my happy ending.”  She clapped both of her hands around his face, pulling him down so she could look him in the eye.  “You’re my happy ending, Auron.  I don’t care what Berrik tries to do next, or what Shelinda wants from us.  We’re going to Zanarkand as soon as Jecht gets here.”

“You’ll have no argument from me,” Auron replied, leaning in to kiss her once more.

Pulling back, Rikku grinned.  “Okay, let’s check in so we can get some rest.  I think we both earned it.”

Grunting in agreement, Auron followed her onto the bridge.

“Hey every…Buddy.”  She looked around in surprise.  The bridge was empty, save for Buddy manning his station.

“Rikku,” Buddy said distractedly.  His fingers didn’t stop flying over the control panel as he greeted her.  “Just a minute, Gippal needs me to test this...”  A claxon sounded, and the entire ship shuddered.  Buddy’s control panel lit up with several different flashing alarms in red.  “Ooooh-kay, that didn’t work.”  Tapping a few more buttons, he cut the power and turned to wave at her.  “Ah!  You brought Aaron, too.  Good to see you both back.”

Rikku nodded.  “Where is everyone?”

“Where do you think?” Buddy pointed at his control panel.  “We’re all trying to fix the ship.  I think Gippal and Brother are in the engine room right now.  Calli’s on a supply run.  We figure she’ll have better luck than the rest of us, since she’s the only non-blonde on the crew.”

“Really?  That’s the reason?”  Rikku crossed her arms, smirking.

“… Yeah, so maybe the big fight she had with Brother had something to do with that, too.”

Rikku puffed up, feeling her face heat as she got ready to yell invectives.  “That idiot!  How can he be so mean to Calli after all she’s done for him?  I’m gonna rip him a new –”

Auron’s hand landed on her shoulder, clamping down tightly.  “Your brother isn’t even here.  Save your ire for its proper audience.”

“You know,” Buddy offered conversationally, “They weren’t arguing about Yuna for once.  Brother was pretty angry at Calli for rushing to the deck to fight during the battle.  He was furious that she got hurt.”

Rikku’s mouth snapped shut.  “Huh.  You mean…”

“Well,” Buddy sighed, turning back to his control panel.  “They’re both being childish.  But if you ask me, Calli’s gonna win this argument.”  A grin flickered over his face as he glanced back at her.  “About damn time, huh?”

“Right!  Maybe I won’t need to kill him after all!  I’ll just hurt him real bad,” Rikku cheered, dancing in place.

“Not before the ship repairs are done, please,” Buddy said drily.  “And about that, Gippal said he could use your help when you got back.   He’s–”

“Going to have to wait,” Auron cut in, pulling Rikku back.  “We’ve earned our rest.  May we stay on your ship for the time being?”

“This is Rikku’s ship just as much as Brother’s and mine,” Buddy answered easily.  “Go get some shut eye.  I’ll keep the guys off your back, Rikku.”

“Thanks,” she said with warmth.  “You’re the best, Buddy!”

“I know,” he smirked, waving her off.

As they made their way towards the elevator, Rikku noticed Auron was sulking.  “Alright, grumpy.  Spill!”

“It’s nothing.”

Rikku squinted as she hit the panel that would take them to the communal bunk.  “Your face isn’t saying it’s nothing.”

Auron glared at the ceiling for a moment, before sighing.  “Buddy.  I just made the connection.”

Rikku decided to wait him out.  It worked; after a few more moments of uncomfortable silence, he cleared his throat.

“He was your first.”

She blinked, and then tilted her head, her eyes widening.  “Wait, you remembered I told you that?”

Auron finally turned his head enough to meet her eyes.  “I remember everything you’ve ever told me about yourself.”

Rikku’s cheeks heated with a blush – more from Auron’s blunt admission about his interest in her than his eidetic memory about her sex life.  “Jealous much?” she teased.

Groaning, he pinched the bridge of his nose.  “This is why I didn’t want to mention it.  No.  I know you two are merely friends.”

She leaned her chin on his shoulder, ignoring the elevator doors that swooshed open.  “I think you are jealous.  It’s cute!”

Rolling his eye, Auron stomped into the hallway.  “Contrary to your beliefs, I am not suspicious of every male acquaintance you have, Rikku.  I simply…”  He paused before the doors to the bar, a faint blush dusting his cheeks.  “I wanted to be your first.”

Running in front of him, Rikku ducked low as she paced backwards through the bar, grinning like a fool.  “I don’t see why being first is such a big deal.  If you ask me, being last is the most important.  And you’re definitely the man I want to end up with.”

Some of his embarrassment faded into a slight smile, and he reached out to turn her around before she could trip over the steps leading to the communal bedroom.

They climbed upstairs, and Auron made a beeline towards one of the beds in the corner.  He sat down onto it with a thump, rubbing a hand over his face.  After a moment, he stood back up and shucked off his soiled coat, throwing it against the floor with a look of disgust.  His scuffed breastplate soon joined the pile, before he took a seat and began pulling off his dusty boots.  There was nothing special about it; he was simply unwinding after the battle.  Yet watching him slowly divest himself of his armor made her pulse speed up.  She thought about the way he’d grabbed her in the palace beforehand, reigniting a thin thread of interest that he’d initially sparked in her.

Noticing her scrutiny, he glanced up as he worked.  “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Rikku replied, holding her hands up.  She sank down next to him and kicked her own boots off, wiggling her toes.  “It’s just been a really long day.”

Auron dropped his boots off into the pile and then turned to her.  “Don’t blame yourself.  You tried your best, but Berrik took everyone by surprise.”  He shook his head.  “Despite everything else, he is still a good tactician.”

Rikku scowled and dug herself into Auron’s side.  “Stop talking about him.  I was just about to successfully distract myself by watching you undress.”

His chuckle was low and rich.  “We are in the very public communal bedroom of your brother’s airship.  You might want to rethink your priorities right now.”

The fragile thread of desire that had been pulling at her thickened.  She inhaled deeply, taking in his scent.  Sweat and leather, and hints of the cloying incense that always haunted the halls of Bevelle’s palace.  But underneath all of that was the musk of him; a rich, earthy tang that evoked memories of his muscular body flexing above her.  Licking her lips, she glanced up at him from under her eyelashes.  “We already did it on The Love Boat.  Don’t you think we should be fair to the Celsius?”

She felt him tense as he considered her words.  His eye darted towards the stairs, then back to her.  “This is a very bad idea.”

“Haven’t you heard?”  She crawled over him and planted her knees on each side of his hips.  “I love bad ideas.”  Drawing close enough for her breath to fan out over his mouth, she ran her hands up his sides.  He leaned forward to kiss her but she jerked back before their lips could touch, a wicked smile curving on her lips.  “Oh, are you changing your mind now?”

His eye darkened.  “What if someone walks in on us?” he asked, though the hand on her thigh pushing up under her skirt didn’t match his words.

“Then I guess we’ll have to be quiet.”  She spread her knees, allowing the heat of their bodies to seep into one another.  When he arched into her, she lifted herself up, echoing the tease of her lips.  His fingers tightened on her hips and he pulled her off of him, pushing her to the side.

“You know, it’s really hot the way you can lift me like I weigh nothing,” she grinned, refusing to give up.

“That’s because you weigh next to nothing,” he growled, reaching down to adjust himself.  His breath left him in a whoosh as she slipped her hand over his own and palmed his hardening cock.  “Rikku,” he managed to bite out in warning.

“Shh.  Let me do that,” she whispered, sliding off the bed and twisting until she was situated between his knees, spreading them wide.  She let go of his legs to trail her fingers up his inner thighs, finally brushing them over the front of his pants.  Stroking the outline of his slowly burgeoning erection through the fabric, she licked her lips in anticipation.  When she popped the button on his trousers, the tiny grunt that escaped him transformed the thread of longing she’d been pulling on into a thick silken rope, tightening and threatening to suffocate her if she didn’t ease the building pressure between them.  Peeling back the fabric, she pushed down his underwear and felt her body pulse in response to his twitching as she exposed him.

Bending, she lapped at the delicate bead of moisture leaking from him.  Fingers clamped around the back of her neck, and she looked up to meet his eye as she stuck her tongue out as far as she could.  She laved the underside of his head torturously slowly, before opening her mouth and sucking him in with a wet pop.  His salty flavor laced with hints of bitterness pressed against her tongue, and she curled around him, savoring the taste.  Auron shuddered, hardening even further in her mouth.  When she pulled back and lapped her way around his tip, it wept, betraying his eagerness.

“Are you sure you want this?” he asked, his breath ragged.

“I’ve never been surer,” she answered, leaning down to blow a soft puff of air against him.  Another drop of milky pre-cum beaded on him and he hissed, his swollen penis darkening to a beautiful, deep shade of near-purple.  She smoothed her fingers down his length, soothing him, and followed the motion with tiny flicks of her tongue.  “But if you want, you can check to see if I’m lying.”  Wrapping herself around one of his legs, she rose up enough to press her aching sex against his shin, relieving some of her own building excitement.  She continued to slide against his leg until she was sure he could feel the slickness of her own need soaking into his skin.  The scent of their desire rose and mingled together, turning the air between them rich and heavy.

“I believe you,” he ground out, pulling on her neck to lower her face back towards his straining cock.  His other hand worked its way behind her ear, fingers threading hypnotically through her hair.  She didn’t even need to ask him anything as she sunk back down to swallow him.  “Rikku.”  His voice shook in the charged stillness between them.  “Please.”

She began to suckle him in earnest, adjusting the movement of her head and lips to follow his cues as he encouraged her and set the pace.  Occasionally she’d stop to twist her tongue, evoking a quiet curse out of him.  But always, she returned to draw him in deeper, loosening her throat and trying to engulf his entire length.

His body thrummed with tension, his hand spasming against her neck as she pushed him closer towards his release.  The fingers that had been carding through her hair turned into a slowly tightening grip.  When she glanced upwards, she saw that he’d thrown his head back.  His Adam’s apple bobbed, and it sent a lance of desire through her that saw her redoubling her own efforts to bring him to completion.

With a strangled cry, the grip on her hair tightened painfully, and he pulled her away.  Her eyes watered from his sudden dismissal, saliva dampening her chin as she let out her own whine of disappointment.  “Auron, I wasn’t done yet!”

“Not this way,” he cursed, his voice low and tense.  “I want to see your face.”  Yanking her head up, he pressed a searing kiss against her, unbothered by his own taste as he chased her tongue.  His fingers, turned desperate and clumsy in his desire, tore at her skirt, pulling it halfway down her thighs.

Her craving to feel his hot, pulsing dick pressing into her was a physical ache.  When he tore aside her underwear and plunged his fingers into her, spreading her wide, she nearly wept with relief.  “I-I need more,” she managed to choke out, thrusting against him recklessly.  “I need you to fuck me right now,” she pleaded, struggling to align their hips.

Picking her up, he rolled her onto the bed, and for a wild moment, she was struck by the incongruity of their desperate passion with the fact that they were both still almost totally clothed.  But then thought fled because he’d positioned his head between her thighs and thrust his tongue between her drenched folds without preamble.

She tried to scream in pleasure, but he reached up and rammed two of his fingers into her open mouth to muffle her cry.  Her lips clamped down around the digits, sucking them as he delved deeper into her.  The thumb of his free hand tapped maddeningly against her clit.

A cloudy, sparkling haze built in her mind as she writhed underneath him.  She pulled at the quilt of the bed desperately, tearing it up.  In response, he pulled his fingers away from her mouth and trailed them over her abdomen to hold her down.  Leaning to the side, he locked her thigh with his other elbow without once slowing the motion of his lips and tongue.  Rikku focused on the shifting movements of his head, struggling to keep her eyes open so she could watch him ply the pleasure from her body with his mouth.

I love this man.  She arced into his touch.  I love his flaws.  His stubbornness.  His possessive jealousy.  His reticence.  His devotion to honor.

He jerked his hips against the bedsheets as he worked.  Everywhere his body pressed into hers felt like a burning brand.

Her hand descended to cup the crown of his head.  But most of all I love how he throws all of that away just to give us a chance to be together.

She was keening, she realized.  He sealed his lips against her and hummed, milking out the nectar soaking through her, running freely down her thighs and dampening the bedsheets below them.  She knew she was tumbling uncontrollably towards her own orgasm, sliding towards the edge of a cliff with no bottom.  Still, when it came, it took her by surprise.  For a moment her existence was nothing more than the burning white of blinding pleasure that overtook her.  When it finally receded, she was left quivering and gasping in his hold.

He’s just like Braska, she thought distantly, shuddering when he lapped his tongue gently against her heated skin.  He loves me more than he loves himself.

As if he could hear her thoughts, he pulled back long enough to whisper something.  And then he drove all thoughts of Braska from her mind as his Cure spell spiked through her, bringing her screaming back to another peak and leeching all coherent thought from her.  He buried his fingers inside of her, his lips working over her clit while he gently coaxed her over-sensitized flesh through the aftershocks of her second climax.  When her consciousness drifted back down into her body, she tugged on his shoulders and he relented, leaning back only long enough to wipe his mouth.  He slid up to her side, his arms circling around her.  “Are you alright?”

She didn’t grace him with an answer, instead smacking his chest with a boneless slap.  “Cheater.”

He trapped her hand, cupping it, and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of her knuckles.  “You taught me not to play fair.”

Her awareness expanded, and she realized he was still rock-hard and leaking into the wrinkled folds of her skirt.  She tried to muster enough energy to roll over and meet him and failed, even as the spark of lust rekindled deep within her.  He pistoned himself slowly against her side, carefully regulating his movements.

“You turned my legs into jelly, you bonehead,” she groaned.  “If you wanna take care of that, you’re gonna have to put yourself inside of me.”

“Is that what you want?” he asked her.

She met his eye, savoring his controlled thrusts against the side of her hip.  “Hurry up,” she breathed.

Pushing up onto his forearms, Auron leaned over her, aligning himself at her entrance.  Anticipation tingled low in her belly.  The tip of his head slid in easily between her slick folds, prompting a hiss from both of them.

It was matched by the quiet hiss of the automatic doors sliding open.  He froze, and Rikku was suddenly hyper-aware of their surroundings… and how exposed they were.  It didn’t help at all; the shock of it made her feel the urgent press of him against her all that much more intensely.  A whine built up in the back of her throat.

Auron, sensing it, clapped a hand over her mouth, his eye wide.

She trembled involuntarily.  Somehow, the rough weight of his hand against her mouth, coupled with the heady scent of her own orgasm on his fingertips, was unbearably provocative.  His eye darkened when he realized her excitement was mounting.

“Huh,” she heard Calli say as her footsteps echoed against the lower floor.  “I could’ve sworn she’d be in here.  Rikku?  Are you sleeping up there?”  The footsteps came closer.

Auron grimaced and made to pull out of her.  He stopped when he saw the look in her eye.  Sweat beaded on his forehead; clearly, he thought she was insane.  Even more clear, however, was the bobbing of his cock, which hadn’t softened in the least.  If anything, he seemed even more turned on than she was.

There was a ping of metal as Calli’s foot hit the first step.  The doors slid open again, and the footsteps paused.

“Oh!  Hey Gippal.  I was just looking for Rikku!  I’ll send her down to the engine room as soon as I find her.”

Rikku blinked, her eyes watering.  If she could have, she would have rolled them at Auron and sighed, but she was afraid of the noises that would spill from her from even that much movement.  She could see Auron’s jaw working as he struggled to contain himself, too.  She could tell he was one spasm away from cursing the world and driving into her regardless of their audience.

Boots clumped into the room; they stopped, and someone inhaled deeply.  There was a pregnant pause. 

“Yo, Calli.  I don’t think she’s here,” she heard Gippal say, a note of amusement clear in his voice.

“Really?  But I thought she and Aaron were –”

“Yeah, really.  Why don’t we try looking for her somewhere else?”  Another pause.  “Anywhere else.”

“Umm… sure, I guess.  Well, let’s try the deck!  Maybe they’re sunbathing together.”

More footsteps receding.  The door hissed open.

“Yeah.  Sunbathing.  Let’s call it that,” Gippal drawled as the doors shut.

They’d barely finished closing when Auron drove into her.  The long, relieved breath he gasped out matched her own as he filled her.  She gripped him tightly, trying to hold him still against her body and preserve the moment as she relished the delicious stretch of him.

“You,” he finally managed to gasp against her ear, “are a hurricane.  You’ve caught me completely in your storm.”  He turned his head and nuzzled her cheek.  “I didn’t know what living meant before you showed me.”

“Take me,” she murmured back, her hands digging into his shoulders.  “Take everything from me.  I want you to need me the same way I need you.  Irreplaceably.”

He paused, and his next kiss sought her lips.  It was a slow, tender thing, set against the backdrop of their thundering hearts.  “What makes you think I don’t?” he whispered.  “I love you, Rikku.  I don’t want to just take you.  I want to give you everything.”  He shifted slightly, moving his hips.  “Everything that I am,” he repeated, his voice beginning to shake and fall apart as he thrust into her, again and again.  “Gods…” he ground out, his eye growing heavy as he panted, building the pleasure within them both with each purposeful motion.  “Can you not feel it?”

Her mouth dropped open, her breath coming in short gasps.  Each thrust, each slide of his skin against hers was sparking a fire inside of her, the friction unbearable.  She’d thought of her pleasure as a cliff before; now, with him buried deep within her, she knew it was a mountain.  If she fell off here now, she’d never be able to come back to herself.  Somehow, she knew she would always be an irrevocable piece of him.  “I can feel it,” she stuttered, her hands clawing at his skin as she rose to meet him.

He rolled onto his back, pulling her with him, thrusting all the while.  “Tell me,” he ground out, his voice tortured.  She could feel him swelling, crashing towards his own completion.  “Tell me, Rikku,” he commanded through grit teeth.

The scream tore from her throat unbidden.  “I can feel you!” she shouted, finally breaking the hushed urgency of their lovemaking.  “Auron,” she sobbed, losing herself to him.

Her cry sent him over; she felt him stiffen and shudder, his violent release heralded by his hoarse, wordless shout. 

Awareness came back slowly; she’d collapsed against Auron at some point, and she couldn’t have moved even if she wanted to.  But oh – she didn’t want to, basking in the feel of his chest heaving below her.  Even though he was the one who’d literally fucked her into a blackout, an odd, savage triumph flushed through her exhaustion.

You’re mine.  Now, and forever.

They lay there, sprawled across the top of the bed, twitching and tangled, fully submerged in one another. 

Chapter Text

When morning came, the Celsius was still docked over Bevelle.  Yuna and Paine, however, had already left for Luca.  Rikku couldn’t blame them; after having witnessed the devotion of Yuna’s believers in Bevelle, she could understand her cousin perfectly.  Paine, on the other hand, had the very real problem of handling the Guardians she’d stationed for the failed Operation Djose.  Even without her own logistical headaches, Rikku knew Paine would stick by Yuna’s side to see her friend safely back to Besaid.

The Gullwings weren’t quite as lucky – the damage to the airship was more extensive than Rikku had guessed.  Since Jecht still hadn’t returned to the Celsius, Rikku decided to offer her help to fix up the ship while Auron scoured the city for their missing companion.

Still, as she stood before the doors to the engine room, she had to admit that it wasn’t exactly generosity that brought her there.  Taking a deep breath, she entered the room and stopped short.  Gippal was smart enough to figure his way around most machina, and Brother and Buddy had been taking care of repairs on the Celsius ever since they unearthed it.  On the other hand, Rikku had done little more than help pilot the Celsius.  She had to admit she was a little out of her depth as she took in all the tubing, pipes, and wires that powered the airship’s flight.  She spotted Gippal hunched over a tiny control panel, furiously typing in commands.  After another moment, she found Brother’s feet sticking up out of a service duct.

“Hey guys,” she called out.  “Heard you could use some help?”

Gippal’s fingers paused momentarily.  “Well, I could use the help, but your brother…”

There was a banging noise, and then several grunts as Brother squirmed his way out of the tiny crawlway.  Sitting up, he tossed aside the soldering iron in his hand and fixed her under an acrimonious glare.

Instantly on the defensive, Rikku frowned back at him.  “Hey!  I showed up, didn’t I?  Better late than never.”

“That is not why I am giving you my judgy stare!” Brother huffed.  “Do you feel judged yet?”

Rikku’s eyebrows rose and she felt her cheeks begin to color.  “Gippal, did you tell him?!”

“Tell me what?!”

Hunching his shoulders – whether from guilt or laughter, she couldn’t tell – Gippal glanced at her with his eye scrunched shut from his overly-wide grin.  “Don’t look at me, Princess.  I didn’t say a word.”

Brother cursed roundly under his breath.  “You two!  You will stop talking behind my back!  What did you do now, Rikku?”

Auron.  She thought Brother wouldn’t appreciate her answer, so she patted her cheeks down and tried to think pure, Bevellian thoughts.  “We were just sunbathing,” she mumbled under her breath, causing Gippal to choke down a snort.  “I admit to nothing!  Tell me why you’re trying to make me feel guilty first!”

Brother let out a dramatic sigh.  “Yesterday.  That was no dressphere.  You do not even wear Garment Grids anymore!  Do not try to fool me,” he warned Rikku, pointing a finger at her.  “What happened to you?”

Rikku’s scowl faded as she stared at her brother, wondering how to tell him.  They’d both already lost Keyakku and he’d cut himself off from Cid, too.  Family was important to him – to both of them.  She wondered if he’d be able to handle the truth.  Meeting his eyes, she spoke slowly.  “Are you sure you really want to know?”

Silence reigned, broken only by the low hum of the Celsius’s engines. 

Finally, Brother answered her, just as slowly.  “You and I, we are family.  You know I will love you no matter how many stupid ideas you have.  You will still be my sister even if you decide to marry that asshole guarding you.  You cannot stop me from worrying about you.”  He leaned forward, propping his elbow on his bent knee.  “So you will tell me what you are hiding.”

Guilt flooded her.  Nervously, her eyes cut to Gippal’s back. 

Brother, still scrutinizing her, caught her glance and scowled.  “What does he know that I do not?”  Under the indignation, there was a clear note of hurt in his voice.

Gippal turned around at that, leaning against the wall and crossing his ankles.  “Look, I don’t know anything.  She tells me even less than she tells you.  I only make educated guesses.”  His eye focused on Rikku, narrowing shrewdly.  “But I think we’d rather have facts right now.”

“Well, uh… only if you promise not to get mad first,” she said, her nervousness blooming. 

“I will get mad no matter what you say!  Because you did not tell me yet!  But I will be madder if you do not tell me at all!” Brother shouted at her.

Wincing, Rikku steeled herself.  “Alright.  You asked for it!”  She called up her exosuit, eliciting sounds of surprise from both of them.  “So, um.  This is my power suit, the Machina Maw-EX!  There’s an interesting story about how I got it…”

As she launched into her explanation, both Brother and Gippal soaked in her words.  Brother’s face grew more and more ashen with each revelation, while Gippal’s hard stare remained fixed on the toes of his boots.  By the time she finished, Brother was reduced to a sobbing mess, his head held between both of his hands.

“You are dead!” he howled.

“Uh, excuse me?  No?!” she huffed, crossing her arms.

“Well, you’re kind of halfway there,” Gippal pointed out.  “You’re only here because you’re trapped in a never-ending dream.  If you ever wake up, you’ll be dead for real.”

Rikku made sure her piercing glare relayed her thanks to Gippal as Brother’s sobs increased in volume.

“Fine, fine, I’ll let you two have your family moment.  Don’t mind me, I’ve just got a ship to repair,” Gippal grumbled with false sarcasm as he backed away to give them some privacy. 

Rikku softened her glare into a grateful smile, returning her attention to her wrecked sibling.  “Look.  Gippal might be technically right, but I’m still here, and I’m still me!  See?”  She dropped her suit and kneeled by him, trapping him in a hug.  She was gratified to find that he didn’t flinch away from the contact.  “Part of the reason I came back was because I knew I couldn’t leave you alone,” she said, patting his head.  “Who’d look after you then, you big baby?”

Brother sniffed wetly, swiping at his eyes.  “Does our father know?”

Rikku scowled.  “Cid knows about Auron and he definitely doesn’t approve.  I don’t think he knows about me.  And I don’t care, either.  Neither should you!”

Hiccupping, Brother grabbed her and crushed her in a fierce hug.  “You are my last family, Rie-Rie.  I am so sorry I failed you.”

Surprise trickled over her.  “Failed me?  How’d you ever fail me?”

Brother finally released her, slumping backwards.  “You were in love.  You have always felt about Auron the same way I feel about Yuna.  But that is the difference.  You did something about it, and it turned you into… this.”  He dropped his head into his hands.  “I called you silly, and did not take you seriously.  If I had listened then… if I had stopped you –”

“Hey,” she said gently, pulling his hands down.  “You can’t tell a person to stop feeling the way they do just because you don’t like it.  Feelings don’t work like that, they’re not something you can shut on and off like a switch.”  She could feel Gippal’s eye boring a hole into her head from across the room.  Swallowing, she refocused on her brother.  “Take it from me, I’ve been trying to tell you to forget about Yunie for years now.”

Brother laughed harshly.  “You know.  For the first time, you are making a convincing argument.”  He rubbed a hand down his face.  “But this is not about me.  I do not know how you are going to solve this thing with Auron.  Even if you say you are not dead, he is dead.  Very, very dead.”  He looked up at her, his green eyes bright and hard.  “You are going to end up hurting yourself again.  And I will not be able to protect you, again.”

Rikku gave him a sad, fond smile.  “Thanks.  I really mean that.  But I’m not yours to protect anymore.  I’m an aeon now.  That means I,” she tapped her heart, “protect you.”  Her finger landed on his forehead.  She gave him a tremulous smile.  “It’s kinda in the job description.”

Brother swiped her finger away, scowling.  “What is it you just said?  Do not tell me to stop feeling like your big brother.  That I will always be, whether you like it or not.”  He looked away, and let out a heavy sigh.  “Do not think I did not notice.  You and your little friends have a plan, so I will not stop you.  But,” he said sharply, jerking his head back around to glare at her.  “You will promise me that you will come back.  We are family.  Even if you are the weird one now.”

Holding back a watery smile, Rikku threw herself into his arms.  As he hugged her, she couldn’t help but think of Keyakku and Cid.  Somehow, despite the odds, Brother hadn’t followed in their footsteps.  She was taken aback by the surprising amount of relief that flooded through her at the realization.  We’re family.  We always will be.  Her hug tightened and tears pricked behind her eyelids.

Eventually she pushed him away first; he’d finally stopped crying into her shoulder.  “Listen.  There’s one thing you can still do for me right now,” she said when she was sure he was paying attention.

Brother pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose into it loudly.  “The Celsius is mine and you cannot have it.”

Glaring, Rikku crossed her arms.  “No, you dork.  I want you to find Calli and apologize to her.  The sooner the better.”

Brother’s shoulders stiffened.  “Why should I?  She is the one who yelled at me first.”  The way he hunched over when he said it showed how little conviction he had in his own words.

Reaching over, she paffed him in the arm with her fist.  “Because family’s important to you.  And because clinging to that torch you’ve been holding onto for Yunie will only get you burned in the end.  Yunie’s happy with Tidus!  Let her go already and look at what’s in front of you, for cryin’ out loud!  If you want to have a big fat Pollendina family, get out there and make one yourself.”

Brother turned red, his eyes widening.  “Rikku!” he sputtered.  “You should not talk that way about Calli!  You do not know how she feels!”

At this, Gippal snorted loudly enough for both of them to hear.  “Brother, everybody except you knows how Calli feels by now.”

Brother stared at his hands for a moment, silently opening and closing them.  Finally, he cursed roundly in Al Bhed, scrambling to his feet.  “Fine!  I will find her and apologize!  Do not think I am doing it just because you told me to!”

Rikku sat back on her heels, grinning.  “I sure hope not.  Now go and fix it, you big loser.  She’s been waiting for you to catch up with her for years.”

Scowling, Brother turned to Gippal.  “You will be fine here alone, yes?  Do not break my ship.”

“I’m not alone.  I have her,” Gippal replied lazily, pointing a thumb at Rikku.  “Stop worrying about your baby, she’s in good hands.”

Brother’s eyes narrowed.  “You had better be talking about the Celsius.”  Turning he stomped towards the door, pausing to shoot one last glare at Rikku.  “I will be back!  You!  Do not leave before then!”

“Okay, okay,” Rikku huffed, standing up and dusting herself off.  As the door hissed shut, she turned to Gippal.  “Right, so what do you need me to do here?”  She stopped short as she realized he’d tensed up the moment Brother left them.  He continued to work, ignoring her.  “… Gip?”  Her brow furrowed.

“You’re probably wondering why I’m taking this so well,” Gippal said casually, not looking up from his workstation.  “I knew something was up.”  His fingers paused over the controls; a fine tremor passed through them.  “I’m just glad you’re not dead.”

She approached him carefully, like he was a cat that would startle away if she moved too quickly.  “I guess it’s a little late to say I’m sorry, huh?”

Grimacing, Gippal avoided looking at her.  “What for?  You don’t owe me anything, Rikku.”

Watching him ignore her so studiously, Rikku was struck with a pang of guilt.  She remembered how she’d found him when she returned from the Farplane; how haggard he’d looked, the remnants of a year he’d spent suffering while she was gone.  “I know.  But I’m still sorry I couldn’t return your feelings.  At least you know why now.”  Smiling cautiously, she poked him gently in the arm with her elbow.  “Look on the bright side!  At least you’re not trapped in a problematic relationship with a freak, right?”

Gippal looked down at her, his expression hard.  “Yeah, you save your feelings for dead people.”  There was an unusual bitter edge to his snark. 

“Gippal?”  Gippal never lost his cool.  She could see an explosion was imminent, though, and waited for the fallout with a looming sense of dread.

“I’ll admit I still care about you, okay?  But it’s not just that.”  He balled a fist, hitting it against the metal bulkhead of the ship with a dull thud, before turning to face her.  “You’re my friend, and one of the smartest Al Bhed around.  There’s no one in Spira who knows more about alchemy than you do.  You’re the only person who’s ever gone on two successful Pilgrimages, and one of the only people to travel to the bottom of the Farplane and come back alive.  When are you gonna get that you’re special?  You keep thinking that you don’t matter and it drives me nuts,” he ground out.  “You’re a legend now!  A Yevon-damned aeon!  Straight outta myth, powerful enough to be called a god!  And yet you’re still throwing yourself into danger and taking risks like you think it won’t matter if you die!”  He took a deep breath.  “Even aeons can be killed, Rikku.  You know that.”

Stung, Rikku lashed out.  “I’m not the Fahrenheit, Gippal!  I’m not a thing you can pack away in a museum just because you think I’m some kind of precious artifact now!  You can’t stop me from taking risks or living my life the way I want to!”

“I know!  I know that, and that’s not what I’m saying.”  He puffed out a frustrated groan, turning away from her.  “I just want you to realize that you matter to a lot of people.  And when you act like you don’t, you’re hurting more than just yourself.”

The sincerity of his words whisked the snarky retort she’d been preparing right out of her mouth.  He sounded… like Paine and Yuna had.  Upset and disappointed, because she hadn’t trusted him with her secrets.  Her hand moved to the damp patch on her shoulder, still wet with Brother’s tears.  She swallowed.  “… Maybe you have a point.”

That got him to turn around and give her an exasperated glare.  “You think?”

“Hey!  You do know that even if I’d boarded the Fahrenheit I wouldn’t have died, right?”

Gippal snorted.  “No, but I bet you would’ve disappeared like Tidus did.”  He raised an eyebrow at her surprise.  “What, you think I didn’t notice that loudmouth went missing?  If everything was as cut and dried as you think, Yuna wouldn’t have looked so wrecked this morning.”

Sighing, Rikku sank down against the panels next to him, relaxing slightly.  “You’re right.  I don’t really know what happens if my body gets destroyed out here.  I mean, getting injured still hurts while it’s happening, but it’s not like I can die permanently.  Not as long as my Fayth stone is intact.”   She frowned.  “I’m just not eager to go rushing out there to get myself killed and find out.”

“Really?  Could’ve fooled me,” Gippal scoffed.  “Besides, what would happen to Auron if you just disappeared like that?  Unsent don’t usually stick around without a reason.”

She winced.  “I know.  He’s already mad at me for not letting him fight at my side.”

“There a reason for that?”  Gippal turned around and began tapping at the control panel nonchalantly.  “Sir Auron’s a legend.  Why wouldn’t you want a one-man army backing you up when you’re facing someone as crazy as Berrik?”

“I’ve got my reasons,” she answered evasively.  “But you’re right.  I was careless.  I’m sorry about trying to fight off Berrik on my own.  We’re a team.  All of us.”

“Huh.  Well, as long as you realize,” Gippal said, continuing his work without looking up.  He felt her stare, and paused long enough to grace her with a reassuring smirk.   “Are you gonna just sit there looking pretty or can you make yourself useful?”

Never change, Gip.  “Still friends?” she asked, holding out her fist.

“As if I’d turn down a fist bump from an aeon.”  He knocked his knuckles against hers, his smirk softening into a genuine smile.  “You’re gonna have to show up for all of my birthdays in that suit from now on, you know.”

“It’s a deal!”  She giggled.  “By the way… Auron and I aren’t gonna stick around Bevelle for much longer.  Once we find Jecht, we need to get to Zanarkand.  It’s kind of time sensitive.”

“Zanarkand, huh?”  Gippal leaned back, crossing his arms and tapping a finger against his sleeve.  She could see the gears in his head ticking as he worked it out.  “You’re trying to stop Auron from turning into a fiend, aren’t you.  Why Zanarkand, though?  What’s so special about that place?”

“It’s the place where it all started.  The answer is there.  It has to be.”

Gippal gave her a measured look; his silent appraisal was unnerving.  Finally, he shrugged.  “Right.  Then I guess we better get to work repairing this ship.”  He pointed at the soldering iron Brother had left behind on the floor.  “Go pick that up for me, will you?”

She scrambled to follow his order, scooping up the tool and bringing it back to him.  “Sure, but you know we can reach Zanarkand without the Celsius, right?”

“You guys can get to Zanarkand without the Celsius.  What about me, though?”

Rikku frowned.  “What about you?”

Gippal sighed as if she was being particularly dense on purpose.  “Because I’m coming with you, naturally.”  Seeing her gape, he raised an eyebrow.  “Oh, come on.  Everybody knows how you got after that little time traveling stunt you pulled.  You think anyone wants to see you like that again?”  Flipping the iron in his hand, he pocketed it and tapped another panel on the view screen.  “You haven’t really figured out what you’re doing yet, right?  So I’ll come with and help out.  Just this once, though.”  He shook his head.  “I can’t believe I’m stacking the deck for my own competition.”

“Wait, so you’re serious?  You’re really gonna tag along with us all the way to Zanarkand?”  Rikku squinted at him.  “What’s in it for you?”

Gippal rolled his eye.  “Look, you might find this hard to believe, but I knew Auron back then too.  I like the guy, alright?  I just wanna make sure he survives.  Or whatever it is Unsent do.  Besides, you know what they say.”  He tapped his forehead.  “Two brains are better than one.”

“But Brother would be driving the Celsius there.”  Rikku smirked.  “That automatically negates one of our brains.”

“Bold of you to assume I was talking about you.  I meant Buddy.”  He snickered.

“H-hey!  I know what I’m doing!  Most of the time,” she trailed off, sulking.

“You do?  Okay then,” he said, pulling out the soldering iron and handing it back to her.  “Get down that crawlway and finish what Brother started.”

“Slave driver,” she muttered, snatching the iron from him.  As she stomped over to the hatch, though, she couldn’t stop the grin that bubbled to her lips.

.x.x.x.

There was no doubt about it; Jecht was moping.

“Okay, so what’s up with you?”  Rikku plopped down on the stool next to him.  She waved a hand at Barkeep, who trilled and pushed a colorful drink with a little paper umbrella on it towards her.

Jecht grumbled, staring into his glass.  “S’nothin’.”

Bumping him with her shoulder, Rikku took a delicate sip of her drink.  “Auron had to drag you back here and you’re being grumblier than him.  Something’s definitely up.”

“Yeah.  He got laid.”

From the balcony above, she heard Auron shift on one of the beds.  “Do not make me get up and come down there,” he warned loudly enough for both of them to hear.

Jecht smirked at her.  “You heard the stiff.  Let me drink my milk in peace.”  He picked up his glass and raised it to his lips.

Rikku frowned.  “Is this about Tidus?”

Growling, Jecht slammed the glass down onto the countertop, sloshing milk everywhere.  “Sorry,” he said to the hypello behind the bar, who blinked back at him worshipfully.  Shaking out his hand, he faced Rikku.  “Look, I’m a big boy now.  I know we don’t gotta expect no parades, balloons, or cryin’ women in the streets when we save the world anymore.” 

From the way he said it, she could tell he was actually disappointed by that.  Jecht might have left his celebrity behind, but the celebrity would never really leave him.  He didn’t dwell on it, though, pushing on mulishly.

“But I was hopin’ I’d at least have a lil’ time with my family, ya know?”  He slumped over, looking like an enormous kicked puppy.  It was more effective since he’d stopped wearing his hair white; he’d changed it back to its natural brown as soon as Rikku informed him that the others on the Celsius knew about them.  “I didn’t even get a chance to talk to Yuna and Tidus alone, and bam!  They’re gone again.  I just wanted more time with ‘em, is all.”

“You’ll get your chance,” Rikku reassured him.  “Besides, you can get your revenge on Berrik when we see him again.  You know he’ll be back for me.”

“Damn straight I will,” Jecht ground out, clenching a fist.  “Say, ‘bout that.  You doin’ okay, Blondie?  It ain’t no fun, havin’ someone like that on your tail.”

“It’s fine.  It’s not like I’ll have to deal with him alone, right?”  She grinned, remembering Gippal’s admonishment.  “I’m counting on you two to back me up this time.  We’ll get him for sure!”

“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about,” Jecht said, brightening up enough to return her high-five.  “So what’s the score?  Are we waitin’ for bedtime before we sneak off to Zanarkand?”  He glanced over at the hypello and lifted a finger to his lips.

“Your sheecret is shafe with mee, Sher Jecht!” Barkeep replied, wriggling his fingers at them.

“No, actually.  We’re just waiting for the others to finish repairing the Celsius.  Then Brother’s gonna fly us all there.”

There was a rustle, and then Auron came into sight, leaning over the balcony with a disgruntled look.  “Convenient.  What’s the catch?”

“Weeeell, Gippal said he wanted to come with.”  Hurriedly, she lifted her fruity drink and took another, longer sip, avoiding Auron’s penetrating gaze.

“Welp, here we go,” Jecht muttered, reaching for his milk to copy her.

“Gippal.”  Auron straightened, his biceps – prominently on display since he still wasn’t wearing his coat – bulging as he gripped the railing tightly.  “You told him of your plan?”

“Not exactly.”  Rikku toyed with her cocktail umbrella nervously, trying to appreciate the view of Auron’s finely muscled arms while studiously ignoring that he was flexing because of her, rather than for her.  “Gip’s pretty smart.  He figured it out himself, and he wanted to help.”

“Help.  Your former beau wants to help.  Me.  An Unsent.”  His eye bored into her.

“Look!  He’s the only one who knows about your… um.  Problem.  Well, him and Barkeep now,” she added contritely.  The hypello simply continued to sway hypnotically, cooing at Jecht.  “Besides, I owe him that much.  Please?”

Grudgingly, Auron released the rail.  “Fine.  Besides, if Braska’s grand plan doesn’t work you should have a friend by your side for the fallout.”

Jecht sighed at that, putting down his milk and spinning around to glare at Auron.  “C’mon, man.  D’ya gotta be such a mood killer all the time?  This plan is gonna work.”

“Yeah!” Rikku agreed hotly.  “And we’re taking along a friend, not a rebound!  Your friend, by the way.  At least that’s how Gippal thinks of you, which is why he wants to help us.  And I think we should let him.”

Auron spent a few long moments staring at her, his face carefully blank.  Finally, he let out a noncommittal “Hnn.”

Jecht leaned back and crossed his arms.  “Wow, Blondie.  Ya got ‘im to fold.”  His smug grin widened.  “Wonder what exactly ya did to him to make him so—”

“Jecht.”  Auron squinted, the beginnings of a frown forming.  “Quit while you have a head.”

“Don’t you mean ‘Quit while you’re ahead’?” Rikku asked.

“No.”

Jecht’s potentially disasterrific response was drowned out by the crackling of the intercom.  After a brief eruption of static, Brother’s voice sounded over the speakers.

“This is your leader speaking!  We are leaving for Zanarkand now, so hold on to your butts!  Except for Sir Auron.  You are not to touch Rikku’s butt!”

There was a loud whine and a crackle of static.

“Sorry Rikku!” Calli’s voice called out.  “Just ignore him!  And you can touch any butt you want, Sir Auron!”

Calli’s call was ended by a loud, indignant cry, and another explosive crackle of static, before Brother’s voice carried over once again.

“NO!  THERE WILL BE NO BUTT GRABBING ON MY AIRSHIP!”

As more static crackled between the sounds of squabbling on the bridge, Auron looked over at Rikku and raised an eyebrow.  “Are you certain you are related?”

“Pretty sure,” she answered, deciding to chug the rest of her cocktail down all at once.

The intercom battle resolved itself, and Gippal’s voice rang out.  “We’re all clear to launch.  And Rikku?  Just do it in private next time, where Brother can’t see you.”

Brother’s screaming was clearly audible over Gippal’s comm line.  “NEXT TIME?  WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NEXT TI—”

The speakers finally cut out, but the room was still filled with Jecht’s loud, raucous laughter.

Groaning, Rikku dropped her head into her folded arms and began to thump it against the countertop.  “This is gonna be a long trip, isn’t it.”

.x.x.x.

They reached the edge of Zanarkand by dusk; Brother refused to fly the airship any further into the city than the base of the mountains, by the old campsite.  Rikku was glad for it; it seemed somehow wrong to upset the gently-moving river of souls that still encircled the ancient city.  Brother and Gippal had joined them on the deck; it was obvious that Brother was reluctant to let her go.

“Hey,” she said, pulling him to the side.  Tiptoeing, she reached up and tugged on his ponytail, grinning.  “I miss the Mohawk.” 

He pouted and rubbed at his eyes.  “Are you sure you do not want me to come along?  It is not like we have other places to be.  We are Gullwings!  We do what we want!”

“Absolutely sure,” Rikku replied.  “You and Calli need to work things out, and Zanarkand is not the place to do it.”  She softened her smile.  “Stop worrying.  I’ll be fine.  And I’ll always come back to you.”

Brother reached out and hugged her.  “You had better.  I do not care if you succeed or you fail at your mission.  I just want you to come home again after, okay?”

“Deal,” she said, releasing him reluctantly.

“Now,” he growled in Spiran, straightening his shoulders and raising his voice.  “I have something to say!”  He marched stiffly towards Auron, singling him out.  “You!  I do not trust you!  You are too old for Rikku.  And too dead!”   He did his best to glare Auron down, but even with two eyes, he soon found himself cowering away from Auron’s flinty, cold stare.

Coughing into his hand, he wiped it on his overalls, and then held it out to Auron.  “But Rikku has chosen you.  So you will swear that you will not hurt her.  And we will shake hands like men.”

Auron eyed Brother’s outstretched hand.  After a moment, he reached out to shake it.

Brother grinned fiercely and tightened his grip, trying to pull Auron in.  His expression changed rapidly when he didn’t manage to budge the other man in the slightest.  His smile became pained and sweat beaded on his forehead when Auron tightened his grip instead.

“I will never intentionally hurt Rikku.”  Auron slowly pumped Brother’s hand up and down, boring a hole into Brother with his lone eye as he did so.  “And I will protect her from anyone who tries to obstruct her own choices.”

To his credit, Brother didn’t beg for mercy or try to free himself from Auron’s punishing hold.  Instead, he raised a shaking hand to clap Auron a few times on the shoulder.  “If you ever make my baby sister cry, we will play a game of blitzball together.  And then we will see who is doing the crying.”

Auron lifted an eyebrow.  “Agreed.”  He finally released Brother, who staggered away with a high-pitched squeak, cradling his hand and blinking back tears.

Gippal caught him, shaking his head.  “Always gotta be a tough guy, don’t you?  Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on Rikku for you.”

Brother stopped short at that, staring at Gippal.  “What?  You mean you are staying with them?”

Rikku winced.  You didn’t tell him? she mouthed, then rolled her eyes at Gippal’s careless shrug.

“Yeah.  There’s some stuff I wanted to see in Zanarkand and this is the right time to explore the city.  All the fiends were cleaned out by the Guardians, and I’ll even have my own entourage of supernatural bodyguards!”  He gestured at Rikku, Auron, and Jecht.  “It’s the perfect opportunity.”

Still shaking his hand out, Brother squinted at Gippal suspiciously.  “The Machine Faction will need you very soon.  It is not like you can ignore what happened in Bevelle.”  He glanced at Rikku, then sighed.  “I did not tell you yet.  Father sent me another message.  Cid is turning himself in.”

“What?!” Rikku yelled.  “Who’s he turning himself in to?”

“Grand Maester Shelinda.”  Brother refused to meet her eyes, looking guilty. 

“And you were gonna tell me this when?”  Rikku started forward, only to be held back by Jecht.

“ ‘Ey.  We’re already here.  Ya gotta let the others deal with this one, Rikku.”

“I did not tell you because I thought we would handle it.”  He flushed.  “I also thought Gippal would be there to talk to Shelinda for him.”

Gippal rubbed his chin.  “It’s a smart move.  With Berrik gone, the rest of the world will consider Cid the de facto leader of the Restorationist faction now, whether he wants to be or not.  He’s trying to end the war by turning himself in.”

“They’re gonna execute him!”  The words became more real when they left her mouth.  Despite the shambles that their relationship was in, the last thing Rikku wanted to see was her own father dying at the hands of the New Yevonites.

 Auron gently extracted her from Jecht’s hold.  “I highly doubt Shelinda wishes to herald the start of this new, fragile peace with even more bloodshed.”

“Auron’s right,” Gippal said, clapping Brother on the back.  “Besides, you’ve got this one covered.  Just don’t let your old man cow you.  I’ll be back soon anyhow, and if you get cold feet, remember: you helped blow up Cid’s ship!”  He shook his head.  “Seriously.  You’ll be fine, Brother.  You already lead the Gullwings, right?  The Al Bhed who didn’t drink the Restorationist tea are all pretty laid back.  So this won’t be so different from that.”

Rikku fell silent as she watched Brother process Gippal’s words.  A tiny smile worked its way onto her face.  It’s the first time anyone’s ever sincerely told Brother that they think he can lead the Al Bhed.  She could almost feel his pride like it was her own as his shoulders straightened and a resolute look stole over his face.

“Right!  I am a leader!” he repeated, nodding at Gippal.  “Rikku!  You do not worry!  I will take care of father’s mess!  Like I always do,” he added, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah,” she managed to say, waving.  Turning before he could notice her crying and catch the bug, she tugged at Auron’s sleeve.  “Let’s get going, you guys.”

They left the ship, waiting at the campsite until the Celsius departed.  When the dull roar of the airship finally faded, the soft, longing song of the pyreflies slowly took over the silence of the dead city.  The four of them soaked it in quietly, a companionable peace settling between them.  Facing the others, Rikku gave them a determined smile.

This is it.

“Well… to Zanarkand,” she said, leading the way.

Chapter Text

“How can you stand it?”  Gippal’s question broke the contemplative silence.

Rikku’s feet slowed; they were nearing the Dome, and had been traveling through Zanarkand for the greater part of the afternoon.  “Stand what?”

“This.  All of this.  It’s so empty.  All ruins are empty, but this place is something else.  It might be peaceful, but there’s no hope here.  No life.  Everything feels so dead.” 

It was true; so much had happened and so much had been lost in the City of the Dead that the atmosphere was oppressive.  The river of pyreflies still twisted lazily overhead, a permanent reminder of the utter sacrifice the city had suffered at Yu Yevon’s hands.  She felt a kinship towards the millions of unknown souls trapped in the sky, so deeply entrenched in their eternal dream that they’d lost all semblance of their former humanity.  Even with the hope the Dome held for Auron, the entire city was still a stark reminder of the dark stain on Spira’s history that halted the natural cycle of life for over a thousand years.

Auron, understandably, wasn’t much better off, considering how close he was to becoming one of the fiends that haunted Zanarkand.  He’d initially expressed his surprise at how fiend-free the city was; when Rikku explained the Guardians’ periodic sweeps of the city, he’d grunted in approval and then withdrawn into morose silence.  In part, she guessed it was because he was thinking of the non-zero possibility that he would one day put Paine’s swordsmanship to the test. 

It was more than just that, though.  She could tell by the way he would pause at certain moments, looking at familiar landmarks stoically.  Those moments revealed more than his expressionless face did.  In every nook and cranny of Zanarkand were memories of Braska’s final journey and the loss of the family the four of them had created together through their Pilgrimage.

Jecht, too, was less boisterous than usual.  These ruins were the basis for his own lost home.  They were even more decrepit than the first time he’d seen them due to the brief transformation of the site into a tourist attraction.  Technically, it was Yu Yevon’s home and not Jecht’s that had been destroyed.  Still, Jecht loved it enough to grow a twisted facsimile of Dream Zanarkand inside of Sin’s body.  For him, the city was more than just a place – it was a visceral reminder of what he’d decided to become and the people he’d sacrificed to bring an end to Spira’s cycle of destruction.

Gippal carried none of that baggage with him.  Though he was initially shocked by the sphere-like playbacks of other peoples’ memories, he soon acclimated to the periodic disturbances of their hike.  At best, Zanarkand was a site that might have been rich for mining its technology, if not for the protections Isaaru had placed on the city after Yuna’s open dismay.  Now all that remained were the remnants that made the entire area anathema to the Al Bhed – religion, sacrifice, pyreflies, and more memories of loss than could be held by any one person.

“I swear, this place is a buzz killer like nothing else I’ve ever seen,” Gippal continued, scratching his ear.  “It’s like someone threw a wet blanket over the bunch of you.  Doctor P could’ve at least left us a fiend or two to break up the monotony.”

Auron glared over his shoulder at Gippal.  “Many people died here.  Show some respect.”

Gippal’s eye narrowed as he shrugged, adjusting the mortar over his shoulder.  “I’m trying to.  I’m just wondering when Rikku forgot.”

Leave me out of it! Rikku mentally shouted.  “Forgot what?” she asked instead.

“Forgot that the best way to remember someone’s passing is to celebrate their life, not drag yourself after them like you’re one of the dead.”  He paused.  “Uh, sorry Auron.  No offense?”

Auron grunted and turned away, frowning.  “We’re almost at the Dome anyway.  Maybe you’ll find that distracting enough to keep you entertained.”  His words dripped with sarcasm.

“Both of ya, put a sock in it.”  Jecht stepped between them, crossing his arms.  “Look, I ain’t gonna argue that Auron is the biggest killjoy around –”

“Jecht,” Auron growled.

“But ya gotta understand the man’s position.  He lost everything here.  Twice!  Now he’s tryin’ to keep it from happenin’ a third time.  You don’t know how much’s at stake for him.”

Auron’s face was beginning to contort, but Jecht continued on blithely.

“Look here, son.  If we don’t get this ritual right, he’s gonna face somethin’ worse than death.”

“Hey, you don’t have to say it like that –” Rikku began, certain he was talking about Auron’s descent into fiendish madness.

“He ain’t ever gonna get it on with his girl again if we mess it up!  There ain’t nothin’ to celebrate ‘bout that!”

Rikku felt her face turning beet red as she buried it in her hands. 

“… I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to have you as my advocate,” Auron deadpanned, glaring at Jecht.

“Hey, no problem.  I got you, buddy!” Jecht gave him a thumbs up and sent a nasty scowl towards Gippal, whose eyebrows had climbed to new heights on his forehead.

“Riiight.  Well, good looking out for him, I guess.”  Gippal actually seemed to be sobered by Jecht’s over-enthusiastic defense.  “You make the weirdest friends, Rikku.”

“I know.”  She stomped past them and towards the Dome, her head down.  “I can’t believe you!” she groused at Jecht.

“Wha?  ‘ey, Blondie, what’d I do?”  Jecht kept pace with her, to her annoyance.  “Listen, fume all ya like, but you’re gonna have to stop if ya want Braska to show up.  Maybe we should walk into the dome holdin’ hands, like we did at Macalania?”

Speed-walking towards the Dome’s entrance and ignoring him, she patted her cheeks repeatedly, trying to remove the fierce blush staining them.  Finally she whirled around and snatched Jecht’s hand up none-too-gently.  “Ugh!” she yelled, yanking him through the entranceway.  “You actually joked about my sex life in front of both Auron and Gippal!  I haven’t been this embarrassed since mmph–!”

Her words cut off as someone grabbed her from behind and spun her around – directly into a kiss.  Flailing in surprise, she beat at the familiar set of arms holding her close; she recognized her assailant.  She would have yelled, too, but the tongue Braska inserted into her mouth was proving to be problematic to her verbal protests.

“Hey B!  Like your new look!”  Jecht’s voice held a note of amusement as he eyed the pair of them.  “Thanks for backin’ up my argument.  See, Blondie?  An eternity of never gettin’ lucky will really mess your head up.  Case in point.  But, uh… can I let go o’ your hand now?  This is just as disturbin’ as the first time he did it.”

Braska raised his head.  “It’s nice to see you again, Jecht.  Yes, you can let go now, the pyreflies are plentiful enough to sustain me here.”

“Hey—”  Rikku’s protest died out as Braska bent his head back down and resumed kissing her.  She continued to half-heartedly try to pry him off of her, feeling his lips twitching into a smile as he continued the enthusiastic kiss.  At the edge of her vision she saw the others entering the Dome and staring at them in shock.  This jerk… he’s doing it on purpose!  It didn’t help that Braska was still an expert at seduction; despite her protests, she could feel her knees turning into jelly under his thorough attention.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”  Auron’s voice sliced through her awareness more sharply than any sword could, suddenly bringing feeling – and not the good kind – tingling down her back and locking her knees.

“Whoa there, easy Auron!  He’s the one who jumped her first.  ‘Sides… I think Rikku just broke the kid.  Lookit him!”

Peeling Braska off of her lips, Rikku peeked at them and winced.  Jecht’s hand was on Auron’s shoulder.  Auron’s face was thunderous, though at least he was directing that heart-stopping glare towards Braska.  Gippal, on the other hand, had frozen completely at the entrance to the Dome.  His mortar fell to his feet with a dull thunk.

“Uhh, am I missing some context here?  Isn’t that Yuna’s dad?”  He caught himself and turned his shocked gaze onto Rikku.  “Isn’t that Yuna’s dad?” he repeated, this time with some amused censure.  “What sort of a Pilgrimage did you guys go on, anyway?”

“Not that kind!” Rikku squeaked, pushing away from Braska’s chest.  He finally released her, though he kept an arm around her waist.  “What the heck, Braska?!  How are you here already?  And really?  You finally get a chance to appear in front of all of us and that’s the first thing you do?”

“You know how I’m here.”  A smile graced Braska’s lips.  “Both you and Jecht must have wanted to see me very badly.  Although you did bring a full complement of suitors with you this time.  I had to get in while I had a chance.”  He said it so easily, his expression remaining pious despite the hand that was inching towards her butt.  Belatedly, she noticed that Braska was still dressed as he’d been the last time she’d left him in the dome; the unique combination of clothing and hairstyle that she’d never once seen him wear during his life.  “I really must thank you,” he continued, though he spoke to Jecht.  “With your presence here, I feel more complete than I ever have before.  I suppose my excitement overwhelmed me.”

“Just as it did the last time Rikku visited?” Auron asked sharply, shaking Jecht off.  His face was a mixture of emotions; fury and frustration, but not really surprise.  Rikku’s heart softened; she knew Auron well enough by now to know just how brittle his tough shell really was.

“Hey,” she whispered to Braska.  “I’m glad you’re happy to see me, but someone else missed you more, you know.”

Braska released her and took a step towards Auron, his plastic smile softening into something more genuine.  “Auron.  I missed you as well.”  He reached out, but when Auron flinched away his smile faltered.  “I know you, my friend.  This isn’t about Rikku or my lecherous behavior.”

“You are an asshole.”  Auron’s jaw twitched.  “… But no, it isn’t.”  He exhaled loudly through his nostrils, looking away, his eye still squinted in fury.  “It was bad enough the way you left so abruptly the first time.  Then you did it to me again, in the Farplane,” he bit out.  “Why should I show you any courtesy now, when you’ve never done the same for me?”

“I know my words will mean little in the face of the many wrongs I’ve done to you,” Braska replied after a long moment.  “But know this… for as long as you have been with Rikku, I, too, have been by your side.  Her feelings are also a reflection of my own; she merely had the will to turn them into reality, whereas I… I was ever the coward.”

“Obviously not with her.”

Braska glanced at Rikku.  “Perhaps she taught me to take chances, and to be brave.  Just as she did for you, too.”

Auron’s jaw worked.  He turned to face Braska.  “You.  You absolute bastard.  I dedicated most of my life to you.  I mourned you after your death.  I mourn you still, even as I am about to join you!  My soul is just as forfeit as yours should we fail here.  Even in this, I still follow in your footsteps.”

Braska stepped closer, putting his arms around Auron’s shoulders.  “Yes… I know all of that.  And that is precisely why I will do everything in my power to keep you from losing yourself this time.  It is the only thing I have left that I can still do for you.  I will try to save you regardless of how you feel about me.”  His tone gentled.  “Though I would prefer if we could do this as friends once more.  I have missed you terribly, Auron.”

Auron covered his face with one of his hands.  A fine tremor was running through his shoulders.  “Bastard,” he repeated, though his voice broke.  “You’re worse than Jecht.”

“’Ey!”  Jecht’s protest was only half-hearted; a huge grin spread over his face as he watched them reconnect.  “I ain’t got nothin’ to do with whatever’s between the two o’ you.  Now kiss an’ make up already.”

Auron’s head shot up at that, sending an angry glare towards Jecht.  It lost its potency as Braska drew him in to a hug and held him there.  “Braska, I—”

“Shush now, Auron,” Braska chided him without looking up.  “I am not asking anything of you.  I simply wish to hold you in my arms.  Hopefully not for the last time.”

Auron reddened, but didn’t push Braska off – something he could have easily done with his overwhelming strength.  Instead, he squinted and placed a hand on Braska’s back, returning the hug.  “It’s been eight years.  You know fully well you’re manipulating me again.”

“As I told Rikku: I take what I can get,” Braska said blithely, his hands beginning to roam.

With an annoyed grunt, Auron pushed him off.  “Propriety.  You used to have a sense of it.”

“What can I say?  Death is freeing.”

A loud cough interrupted their banter.  “Ooookay.  Learning all sorts of things here that I never knew before,” Gippal said, picking up his mortar.  “Well, Lord Braska, you’re a lot less dead than I expected you to be.  I guess I should stop being surprised by now.” 

Braska faced Gippal.  “Ah, welcome young man.  It’s good to finally meet one of Rikku’s friends.  Thank you for coming to our aid.”

“It’s… an honor, I think?  I’m surrounded by legends.”  He scoffed.  “You bunch are a lot less legendary than I expected, though.  Never meet your heroes and all that.  Also, every single one of you is calling me a kid!  What’s with that?  I’m the same age as the rest of you, you know.” 

“Actually…” Braska began, his eyes crinkling into a smug smile, before Auron cuffed him on the shoulder.

“Behave.”

Stepping into the Dome, Gippal stopped next to Rikku, raising an eyebrow.  “You really weren’t joking when you said you brought some people back from the Farplane, were you.  This happy little reunion here?”  He spread his arms.  “This is why I’m never visiting that place, not ever.  No offense.”

“You already know you’re being offensive,” Auron deadpanned.  “Why even bother saying it? … Kid.”

“That was rude,” Rikku shot back at Gippal.  She couldn’t stay upset at him, however; she knew in large part that his litany of snark was an attempt to deal with all the curveballs they were throwing at him.  “But… thanks for coming with us anyway.  I know you hate it here.  But you’re here, and that means something to me.”

A heavy sigh escaped him.  “Look… I’m just trying to keep you safe this time.  No one wants to lose you again… and somebody has to represent the actual living, breathing people of Spira.”  A small, tired grin broke through.  “You have this bad habit of forgetting us if we leave you alone for too long.”

“A sentiment I actually share,” Braska interjected, looking between her and Jecht.  “For both of you.  I sacrificed my life to give you and Jecht a chance to live yours.  It pains me to see you withdrawing from that opportunity.  It’s not who either of you really are.”

Both she and Jecht flinched at the reprimand; Jecht actually dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck, wincing.

“Look man, I’m real sorry, but I still need a minute y’know?  The things I went through… they were pretty heavy.”

“All the more reason for you to rejoin the living and heal.”  Shaking his head, Braska sighed.  “Come then.  Follow me; standing here and immersing ourselves in our memories of the past will only lead to stagnation.  It’s good that this young man is here to break us free from the trap of nostalgia.”

“Young,” Gippal repeated, though he relaxed a little at Braska’s open approval.  “So hey… if I understand everything, we’re here because we need a Fayth stone, right?”  He trailed after the group with Braska in the lead, followed by Auron and Jecht.  Rikku kept pace with Gippal, feeling vaguely guilty at having dragged him along for the ride.  “Did they make them here or something?” he asked.

“In a manner of speaking,” Braska replied evasively.  “There is no shortage of Fayth stones to choose from.  The Lady Yunalesca lived in Zanarkand as an Unsent for thousands of years. During that time she perfected the ritual for creating the Final Aeon,” he explained.  “The Church of Yevon had no knowledge of how to do this, for until Seymour went rogue no High Summoner ever lived to impart that knowledge to others.”

“Right.”  Gippal passed the memory of young Seymour pleading with his mother.  “And making Fayth stones is a part of this ritual?  You just take a rock and… what, carve it up in an image of the summon you wanna become?”

“Not quite.”  Braska’s exposition trailed off as they traveled deeper into the temple, heading for the Cloister.  They made their way down the stairs, Gippal’s incessant questioning reaching a lull as more and more memories – both of the Pilgrimages Rikku had gone on and those of summoners long dead – displayed themselves more and more frequently.  As they stood around the elevator that led to the bottom of the temple, Gippal looked around at the crowd of ghostly figures waiting with them.  He lingered on the 15-year-old Rikku, a frown on his face.

“You were so young.  You shouldn’t have had to go through all this.”  His frown became a grimace.  “You’d think we would’ve learned after a thousand years, huh.  Maybe we Al Bhed just don’t know how to live without suffering anymore.”

“It ain’t just an Al Bhed thing,” Jecht cut in, throwing an arm over Gippal’s shoulder.  “Y’know, I grew up in a world without sufferin’.  A fake one, made by the guy who started all o’ this madness.  I miss it still, but…”  His eyes grew distant and he let out a long breath.  “You can’t understand what sweetness tastes like if ya never had any bitter.”  He gave Gippal a heavy pat on the shoulder.  “Nobody should have to go through what any o’ us did… but we all came out better people on the other side ‘cause of it, right?”

“That remains to be seen.”  Auron’s dark interjection was heralded by the rumbling of the platform’s arrival.

“Come now.  You must have hope,” Braska chided him.  “We will see what I can do once we find a Fayth stone.  And there are a multitude for you to choose from in Yunalesca’s private sanctum.”

As the platform shuddered and began its slow descent, Rikku thought about Braska’s words.  “It still feels a little weird going back there and just randomly choosing one.”

“Weird?”  Gippal frowned.  “Why does choosing one sound like such a big deal if there are so many spares lying around?”  The silence that fell was broken only by the echo of grinding rocks as the platform stopped.  Gippal crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.  “What aren’t you guys telling me?”

“Fayth stones aren’t made of stone,” Auron said after a long moment.  “They’re made of the bodies of those who sacrifice themselves to become a Fayth.”

Gippal froze.  “Wait.  When you say you gotta choose one, you mean—”

“Yes,” Auron said, stepping off of the elevator and onto the floor.  He stopped at the edge of Zaon’s Fayth stone, looking down at the empty sculpture with a scowl.  “The Final Summoning was a ritual of human sacrifice.  I, who lack a body, am here to poach one.”  He raised his head and smiled mirthlessly at Gippal.  “Still want to help us, boy?”

“You knew about this?”  Gippal turned to Rikku, his face pale.  “This was your big plan?”

Rikku balled her fists.  “I know, okay?  I already know.  But I’m selfish, and I wanted to make something good out of the remains of what we’d already lost.”  Gippal still looked furious, but Braska raised his hand.

“Allow me to explain.  At the end of their Pilgrimage, summoners were forced to sacrifice one of their own guardians to create the Final Aeon.  And when they fought and defeated Sin, that aeon would become the next host of Yu Yevon – the greatest Unsent summoner of all time – killing the summoner in the process.”  Following after Auron, Braska stood at the foot of the Fayth stone, looking down at it.  “And when the next High Summoner defeated Sin, the previous Final Aeon would also die, leaving behind nothing more than these empty husks.”

“There is no way for the dead to return to life,” Auron said after a moment.  “At best, these stones might offer me a stay of execution.”

“C’mon man.  It’s more than just that,” Jecht growled.  “You’d become one of us!”  He joined Auron, draping a hand over his shoulder and giving him a half-hug.  “Lighten up.  Aeons are what we are ‘cause we wanna help people.  It ain’t any different for the ones o’ us who already did their job.  Learn to be a lil’ nicer to yourself, ya stiff.  You’re makin’ the rest of us do the heavy liftin’ with that attitude.”

Auron looked away, grimacing.

“This is –”  Gippal stopped himself, thinking.  “… weird.  Definitely weird,” he finished, still looking uncomfortable.

“I don’t think it’s so weird.”  Rikku joined the others at the edge of the stone and slipped her hand into Auron’s.  “All that tech we Al Bhed spend our lives unearthing – we’re just cannibalizing the remnants of people who died a long time ago to make our own lives better.  The rest of Spira always thought we should let sleeping dogs lie, and respect the remains of the dead and all that.  But we didn’t… because we saw a chance in them.”  She looked back at Gippal.  “How’s that so different from what we’re doing now?”

Shaking his head, Gippal finally peeled himself away from the wall and joined them at the stone.  “Fine.  I’m not here to judge anyway.  Been on the receiving end of that gift way too often to want to be a giver.”  Crossing his arms, he tilted his head and studied the sculpture at their feet.  “So this is actually Lord Zaon, huh?  That’s…”  He tilted his head.  “A whole lotta cape.”

“There are many more stones inside, in Yunalesca’s private sanctum.”  Braska gestured towards the chambers beyond.  “She collected the remains of her reign of destruction like trophies to lord over.”

“Yeah, it’s more than just a little creepy.  Kinda like she was building a palace to herself out of the bodies of all the sacrifices she made.”  Rikku shivered.  “They’re locked behind a seal Isaaru put up the last time he was here.  I can take people through it, but only one at a time.”

“Perhaps you should take Auron first and give him some time to look,” Braska said as they settled in the antechamber leading up towards the sanctum.  “This is ultimately his choice, after all, and we can decide our next move after he makes it.”  He glanced at both of them, still holding hands, and then lifted his eyes to meet Rikku’s own.  “Take your time.  I wanted to speak to Jecht regardless… but I’m also curious about the state of the modern Al Bhed.  It has been many years since I last visited Bikanel, and from what Rikku has told me, things have changed drastically since my time.”  He nodded at Gippal.  “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to know what happened since my last visit to the desert.  I’ve heard Home was destroyed during Yuna’s Pilgrimage.”

“Huh.  Well, if we’ve got some time to kill anyway, we got a lotta history to cover, Lord Braska.”  Gippal shrugged. 

“Just Braska, please.  Among friends, we don’t stand on formality.”

“Being friends with High Summoner Braska.  Stranger things have happened, I guess.”  Turning towards Rikku, Gippal pointed a finger at her.  “Be careful in there though.  Sounds like we can’t follow you past whatever this seal is.”

“It’s not that dramatic,” Rikku huffed.  “Braska’s a summoner too, I’m sure he could break the seal if he put his mind to it.  But I’d rather leave it in place if it’s all the same to everyone.  Isaaru worked hard to put it up, and it’s meant to keep casual tourists out.  I don’t want to be the next Pollendina to ruin this place all over again.”

“Yeah, yeah.  The kid’s just worried about you,” Jecht said, waving them off.  “I been in there myself.  Yunalesca’s dead, so it’ll be fine.  But you better choose a good one, Auron!”  Jecht smirked.  “S’gotta look at least half as cool as mine!”

Auron snorted.  “That’s a low bar to pass.”

“C’mon, Auron.  Stop stalling with Jecht and let’s get this done!”  Rikku pulled him up the stairs.  Reaching out towards the stone doors, she closed her eyes and felt for the threads of magic creating the seal.  It was easier the third time around, and after a few minutes, she began to weave both herself and Auron between the lines of power.  “Can you open the actual doors for me?” she asked as she felt them nearing the end of the puzzle.  There was a rumble, and then a cool, stale breeze whispered across her cheeks.  Together they stepped into the chamber, and the doors swung shut behind them.

As soon as they did, Auron stopped, not at all fooled by Braska’s casual proposition.  “What is it that you didn’t want them to see?”  She could feel his stare boring into the back of her neck, which was reddening rapidly.  “Or was it simply something you and Braska are trying to hide from me?”

“Actually,” Rikku said nervously, fidgeting as she inched into the stone chamber.  “I specifically wanted you to come here with me.  Because I don’t want to hide anything from you!  But… I’m afraid you’re gonna get hurt.”  Nervous energy pooled in the pit of her stomach as her feet came to a standstill.  This is either going to go really well or really badly.

Auron’s eyebrow went up as ghostly forms of their battles with Yunalesca whispered by them, fading as quickly as they came.  “What is it?  Did you not want them to witness my death?”

“No, it’s not that,” Rikku hummed as she watched a young Auron, both eyes still intact, facing down Yunalesca.  “Stop thinking of that, this isn’t about you,” she scolded him, and the images quickly faded.  “It’s about me and Braska.  You know I love you… but I also realized that I love him, too.  Maybe I admitted that to myself a little too late, but… he came back first, sort of.  And I thought this time – this time, I wasn’t going to waste any of my chances.”

As she spoke, she saw Braska’s ghostly form leaning towards another faint image of herself.  “Is it truly so awful? Being honest about your desires?” he asked, leaning in for a kiss.

Auron settled by her side, observing; she grabbed onto his hand again and felt his entire body tense as he watched the image change from a chaste, cautious exploration to the messy, hungry passion that had consumed both her and Braska back then.   He didn’t look away as the two figures sank to the floor in a jumbled pile of need and ecstasy, shedding clothes as they went.  His grip grew painfully tight when Braska drew the first loud moan out of her.  The images began to fade, and abruptly, Auron loosened his hold on her.

“No.  I want to see this.”  His voice was fraught with something – anguish, maybe – but he looked down at her and shook his head.  “He told you to be honest about your desires.  So show me.  Everything.  Let me see all of you.”

“Uhh… okay.”  Dutifully, Rikku closed her eyes and immersed herself in her memories, letting them form before Auron.  “I really hope you don’t fiend out on me,” she mumbled under her breath as the two figures came to life once again, clashing in a frenzy of passion.

Auron watched impassively, his face going carefully blank when Braska finally rose up to thrust into her after the excessive foreplay.  The sounds of wet flesh slapping together filled the air, punctuated by grunts and needy moans.  When her memory-self finally reached orgasm, Rikku clasped her hands together, worried that Auron might snap at her in a fit of fiendish jealousy. 

It was unsustainable, this amount of heightened tension between them, made even more agonizing by the fact that she knew just how long Braska had held himself at the edge simply to prolong her pleasure.  At least she thought she did; re-watching it with Auron at her side made her mouth dry out and her thighs clench even as she fought to keep from cringing.  Was I really that flexible?  Was he?  Oh, so that’s what he did there!  When her memory-self came again, Auron grew even more chillingly pensive.

Fighting the urge to cover her face in embarrassment, Rikku soldiered on, replaying the memory as best she could.  The dome was actually very helpful, since after the first two orgasms the rest of her time with Braska had passed in something of a drunken haze.  As she watched with new clarity how Braska made her come again for the fourth time, she risked a glance at Auron.  Then stopped and stared.

Rather than jealousy or anger, he had a look of restrained annoyance on his face.   Catching her glance, he sighed.  “I know I demanded this display.  But really, how long did it go on for?”

Catching the mortified laugh in her throat, Rikku kept her hands on her cheeks as her memory-self let out a rising wail behind her.  “Umm… I’m not really sure?  We lost track of time.  Maybe… another forty-five minutes?”  She looked behind her and saw Braska pushing her memory-legs up.  “Oh, no, wait-a-minute.  At least another hour.”

Auron dropped his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose.  “Didn’t you think this was a little excessive?”  Behind him, Braska added to the chorus, his words becoming a colorful stream of curses and grunts over their conversation.  “By the gods, he’s mouthy even when he’s having sex.”

“Wait.  Why aren’t you mad?  You usually get mad.”

Auron dropped his hand wearily and looked at the image of her and Braska, which was beginning to waver and fade.  “Focus,” he told her sternly, and Rikku let out a squeak, putting her fingers to her temples.  Once the copulating couple were once again mostly visible, Auron resumed speaking.  “What would be the point of holding on to such emotions?  This is what I wanted.  Maybe not to see you so intimately with Braska, but I did want you to move on.  To find someone else to love, rather than tying yourself to a dead ending like myself.  I knew that this…”  He gestured at memory-Rikku, who was now sitting on top of Braska, her head thrown back as she bounced rhythmically against his hips.  “… would be a part of that.  I didn’t want to dwell on it – to think of you with another man.”  He shook his head.  “Hypocritical, when I was the one who threw myself at another woman first.  And Jecht’s wife, of all people.”

The image faltered as his words caught her attention.  “… Did you sleep with her?”

Auron grimaced.  “Of course not.  She loved Jecht, not me.  And he was still very much alive, even transformed as he was.  It was as if she could sense it, as though her life was tied to his.  Perhaps it was.  I think she died when he finally lost himself to Yu Yevon.”  He turned to watch the memory of her fucking Braska once again.  “That doesn’t mean I hold this against you.  You were suffering, and you did what you thought you needed to.  It’s very human… something I am now envious of.”  He pointed at the fading image.  “Although this is also my punishment to you.”

“Punishment?”  Rikku refocused, sharpening the memory.  Unable to withstand the growing itch between her thighs as the flashback bore down on her, she pressed herself into Auron’s side.  “This is a good memory for me.  Are you trying to get me hot and bothered?  Here?  Now?”

Auron’s hand wrapped around her side, and then slowly slid down to her thigh.  She shuddered at the sensation of cool leather dragging over her bare skin.  “No.  Yes.  You make me lose my senses and my good judgement.”  His eyes remained fixed on the lovemaking even as his hand traveled a slow, torturous path back up to her navel.  He stopped, gripping her tightly at the hip, and let out a loud breath.

“Watching you experience such intense sexual pleasure excites me.  Of course I would rather it be me underneath you than him.  But in the end, that makes no difference when you lose control.  Whether you are pleasuring yourself or riding me or another man, you are always beautiful when you come.  I could drink in the sight of you making that face forever.”  His voice turned darker, and Rikku realized his one eye was glowing faintly, and the tips of his ears were sharpening.  “I want to see how far I can push you.  What sort of expressions can I wring out of you?  Can I outlast him?  Should I fuck him out of your memory right here and now?  Would you like to try?”

“Auron,” she said warningly, bringing a trembling hand to his chest.  “Auron, I think you should stop.”

Squeezing his eye shut, Auron released her.  He turned away from the memory, pulling in shallow, shuddering pants as if he’d just fought a terrible fiend.  “Stop.  You can stop now,” he bit out, regaining some of his control as the tempo of his breathing slowed.

The memory faded, and Rikku put her hand on her chest and matched him, recognizing his calming breath technique.  “Hey… what happened there?” she asked when she was certain her voice was steady. 

Opening his eye, Auron huffed out a tired laugh.  “You know exactly what happened to me.”  His eye flicked down to her legs before meeting hers.  “I saw you with him, and I wanted you for myself.  I wanted to take you and –”  He looked away, pained, and ran a hand through his hair.  “That is exactly the problem.  My lust for you… how much of it is my own?  I would never have imagined that seeing you with Braska would make me want you.  Is this who I am, and I have been denying myself all this time?  Was I afraid of that truth?  Or…”  He grit his teeth.  “Or is it because I am the one who has changed?  Is this what it means to become a fiend, then?  To lose myself to my base desires and betray everything I once stood for in life?”  He ran his hand down his face.  “The more time I spend with you, the less I know who I am.”

The way he spoke evaporated any last traces of excitement Rikku had been feeling.  Instead, guilt and pain flooded through her.  He was hanging on by threads; keeping himself from turning into a fiend by sheer force of his weakening will.  “Maybe I shouldn’t have shown you this.  Not like you are now.”

Auron rubbed his face down one more time before straightening and staring at her, his gaze steady.  “No.  Now was the only time.  I may never be myself again after this.  This was your only chance to tell me of your true feelings.”  He reached out and cupped her face, the motion tender rather than charged.  “You will live on regardless of what happens to me.  So know this, Rikku.  I accept your feelings and respect your choices.  Embrace them without hesitation or guilt, and know that no matter who you choose to be with, I will love you regardless.  If there is only one thing you remember of our time together, I want it to be this:  That my deepest desire for you is that you live your own life to its fullest.  You know Braska and Jecht feel the same way, and I am certain all of your living friends share the sentiment.”

Feeling the heat welling up behind her eyes, Rikku reached out and threw her arms around Auron’s neck, burying her face into the fabric of his coat.  “This is why I can’t let you go, stupid,” she whispered, tightening her grip.  “You just say something like that out of nowhere and make me fall in love with you all over again.”

She felt the soft huff of his breath as he buried his face into her hair and chuckled.  “Well, as Braska demonstrated… my competition is stiff.”  He paused.  “Five times?  Really?  How did he last that long when you were so… invested in the process?”

Rikku flinched, and then giggled.  “I mean, he came after that last one too.”  She grabbed his hand and began to lead him towards the back of the chamber.

“And then continued to pleasure you for another hour,” Auron said drily.  “Where was all of that stamina during his Pilgrimage?  We could have used it during the journey across Lake Macalania.”

Snorting, Rikku bumped her shoulder into his.  “Were you really not jealous?”

Auron winced.  “Of course I was jealous.  I am jealous.  There will always be a part of me that wants to shout to the world that you are mine, and mine alone.  That no one else can have you, that only I can be the one to make you feel those things, both in your body and your heart, now and forever.  But that part of me is the same part that craved the attention of Jecht’s wife with just as much fervor.  It is the naive fifteen-year-old boy who fell blindly in love with his tutor, ignoring both good sense and the Teachings in the process.  It is the idealistic young man who was ready to cut down anything that stood in Braska’s way, to the point that I nearly broke even you.”  He shook his head.  “I have no desire to be that sort of petty idealist.  And I am not willing to give you or any of our collective experiences up for my own selfish immaturity.”

“Seems like I’m the one forcing you to be the adult in the room,” Rikku groused as they climbed down the steps to Yunalesca’s private chambers.  “I mean, I decided to chase after all of those grabby feelings you’re pushing aside.”  Stopping, she stubbed her toe into the ground and tried to define her own emotions.  She didn’t feel guilty; not really.  Every moment she’d spent with Braska had been worthwhile, and her biggest regret was that she’d waited until he was nothing more than a fragment of his former self to come clean.  “I kinda want to say I’m sorry, but you know –”

Auron leaned over and silenced her with a quick kiss.  “Do not finish that thought,” he chided her as he pulled away.  “You of all people never need to say that, especially not to me.  You sacrificed your entire life to be with me.  That is a debt I can never repay, and certainly not with a misguided attempt to possess you for myself alone under the guise of ‘love.’”

His face grew grave.  “Rikku, you are an aeon now.  It is more important than ever that you retain your right to choose.  This is what makes you and Jecht unique.  It is what gives me hope that you will both survive into the distant future without descending into madness or seeking death as Yuna’s aeons did – because you both have what they lacked: freedom.”  A faint, wry smile crossed his face.  “I consider myself fortunate that you wish to spend at least some of that time with me even now, as I linger well past my expiration date and chase after your love like I’m still a young, besotted fool.”

The warm feeling that suffused her was overwhelming; Rikku’s body twitched with the urge to throw herself at Auron.  I love this man so much it hurts.  She caught herself leaning forward and stopped.  The intensity of her feelings, no matter how well-meaning, would be enough to push him over the edge towards his transformation into a fiend once more, and it was getting harder for him to come back each time.  You can be the mature one for a hot minute, Rikku!  She smacked her cheeks repeatedly, much to Auron’s bemusement.

“Is there something else I should be aware of?” he asked, clearly entertained by her panic.

“Oh, shut it!  You’re being all sexy and I’m just trying to keep it in my pants!”

She could tell by the way his smirk expanded that he was enjoying her discomfort.  “Forgive me for stating the obvious, but you’re not wearing pants.  What you are wearing is an easily accessible and very short skirt.”

“Arg!”  With a clack, Rikku summoned her exosuit, letting it settle against her skin.

“That may just be the most overdone version of a chastity belt I have ever seen.”  Even though his tone was impassive, she could tell Auron was on the cusp of laughing.  “Am I really such a danger to you?”

“Always.”  Giving in to temptation, she planted a soft kiss on his lips, pulling away before he could draw her in.  “Now… stop distracting me.  We still have to get through Yunalesca’s catacomb first.”

Sobering, Auron moved to step before her.  Rikku held him back, lighting a tiny flame in her other palm, and he acquiesced with a slight nod.  “Then lead the way.”

Chapter Text

Familiarity didn’t make Yunalesca’s aeon graveyard any less imposing.  Rikku clutched onto Auron’s hand, holding her summoned flame aloft with the other as she guided him into the large cavern.

Auron expelled a low breath as the light of her fire spell revealed the multitude of empty Fayth stones scattered throughout.  Shadows jumped and danced in the flickering light, creating the illusion of movement among the twisting forms; it was she and Auron who were the interlopers, intruding upon the strange stone waltz of the forgotten Fayth.

“This is the sum of mankind’s greatest sin.”  He stopped before one of the stones and reached out to touch it.  His face was inscrutable as he ran a palm down the sculpted arm jutting out.  “So much sacrifice, only to perpetuate the greater cycle of death.”

Rikku squeezed his hand.  “All these people who became Sin… they really thought they were doing the right thing.”  She stopped in front of another stone.  It displayed the exposed back of a short-haired young man, his muscles not quite as well-defined as many of the others.  Judging from his slight build, he couldn’t have been much older than Valefor’s Fayth, yet the rocky protrusions morphing his exposed body into a grotesque were still intimidating.  Just who were you?  She tried to picture it, a young boy giving himself over to the stone, ending the numerous possibilities of his life with the image frozen before her.  “They should have had the chance to live out their own lives as humans.”  After a long moment, she bid the boy goodbye and continued down the winding path towards the center of the room.

Auron paused before a different statue; this one a woman.  Her hair fanned out about her, alabaster white, and she wore the familiar-looking armor of an ancient Crusader.  Wisps of smoke had been carved around her, all ending in wickedly sharp points.  Stopping next to him, Rikku stared up at the stone.

“What do you think she was like?”

Auron hummed.  “Devoted.  More, I couldn’t say.”  He turned away, troubled.  “We will never know their names or their stories.  That has been lost to time, and this is all that remains of their legacy to our world.”  His voice was heavy, hinting at a reluctance that Rikku understood, but didn’t want to hear.

“Come on… let’s try to find one you like.” 

She tugged him forward, trying to avoid the truth staring them both in the face, but Auron wasn’t a coward like herself.  He lingered by the stone, a pained look on his face.  “I doubt that will happen.”

Gritting her teeth, Rikku pulled harder.  He didn’t resist, but she could feel his lack of enthusiasm the deeper they moved into Yunalesca’s sanctum.  Her feet slowed as she recognized one of the stones coming into view.  “Auron, look… it’s Jihl.”

“So it is.” He stared gravely at the metallic chains and rapier embedded into the Fayth stone Rikku singled out for him.  The silence drew out.

“Well, what do you think?” Rikku prompted.

“… About what?”

She gesticulated wildly, causing the flame in her palm to gutter until she regained control of herself.  “About Jihl’s stone!  You could use it for your new body.”

Auron recoiled at the thought.  “No.”

“Why not?” Rikku pointed at the stone.  “She took your eye!  Don’t you think she owes you something back?"

Auron’s breath left him in a loud gust.  “I am not seeking my pound of flesh from a dead woman, Rikku.  Did she not suffer enough in life? Jihl paid the ultimate price for her blind faith.”  He tore his eye away from the stone to stare at Rikku.  “Destroying her corpse would be the final insult to a woman who didn’t deserve this fate.  She would be forgotten so thoroughly that even the mark of her passing was made to disappear – and by the ones who put her to her final rest. I won’t do it.”  He looked around.  “I can’t do that to any of the warriors who gave their lives for their summoners here.  This is wrong.”

Even though she’d known he was going to say it, disappointment still welled up fast and sudden in her.  “You’re giving up? Now, that we’ve come so far?” She wanted to deny it; to force him to choose one of the stones and save his own life. But here, amongst so many stony graves, she understood all too well what he was saying – that each of the Final Aeons trapped into service by Yunalesca’s terrible ritual could have been any one of them.

“I can’t destroy their legacy to preserve my own.” Auron turned to face her, looking pained.  “I am sorry. But I’m not so far gone as to want this.” He paused, cupping his hand around her chin.  “You feel it too. You know that what we would do to any of the fallen here is unjust.”

“I… I –!” She gave up, the flame in her hand gutting out.  “I know.  I know already, so you don’t have to rub it in.”

“I’m not.  You tried your best, and came further to redeeming an Unsent than anyone ever has before.” Auron’s voice was warm and comforting in the darkness.  His hands circled around her trembling shoulders. “You fought a difficult battle to bring me here. It is I who am unable to take this final step.” Drawing her in, he hugged her to his chest. “So I am the one who must apologize.”

They spent some time there, surrounded by the empty stones while clasped in one another’s arms.  Rikku tried to convince herself that doing the right thing made up for the aching hollow in her chest. Despite the warmth of Auron’s arms, it wasn’t working.  Finally, she pulled back and swiped the tear tracks off of her cheeks.  “What are we gonna tell the others?”

“The truth.”  Auron’s face shimmered back into view as Rikku re-lit her flame.  “I am the ‘Legendary Guardian.’ I cannot dishonor the memory of my predecessors by trampling upon them.  Let these poor souls rest with their dignity intact.”

Rikku sighed, hearing the decision in his voice.  Grasping his hand, she led him through the winding path of statues with her heart feeling just as heavy as the stones they were passing.  “Why do you have to be so you all the time?”

“I have not given up, Rikku.”

Her feet stopped moving.  Turning, she held the flame up to Auron’s face.  “What?  What do you mean?  You just said you weren’t going to choose any of these stones to host your soul.  How is that not giving up?”

“I’ve chosen my host.” Auron’s dark eye stared unblinking at her; he was serious.  “He is simply not here.”

It took Rikku a moment to catch on; when she did, hope flared in her chest, bright and painful.  “Wait, do you mean - ?”

A grim smile rippled over Auron’s placid expression.  “Yes.  He is the one who started this travesty; he and his wife were complicit in Spira’s long history of sacrifice.  Yet his was the name remembered and revered over all other Guardians. Zaon, the one most culpable in the path of destruction our world walked for over a thousand years.  If anyone deserves such a fate, it’s him.  Let him join Yunalesca in the obscurity of a true death; they have more than earned it.”

Rikku threw herself at Auron, her flame going out once more as he grunted from the collision.  In the darkness, her hands clasped his face, her fingers running over his roughened skin, trailing over the jagged scar bisecting his eye and curling into the stubble of his chin.  She reveled in the feel of him, sharp and dangerous and so achingly real.  “You want to stay.  You’re not going away,” she whispered, her voice trembling with all of the pent-up hurt and fear she’d gathered after his declaration.  Part of her was incandescent with anger; she wanted to blast him for making her think he’d given up.  But the larger part of her was melting in relief, welded to him by the overwhelming comfort the glide of her touch over his face brought her; he wasn’t abandoning her.  “Thank you,” she managed to choke out.

When she tried to stick her fingers into his mouth, though, he finally pushed her off with a grunt.  Summoning her flame, she saw the dry amusement on his face.  “Rikku.  I am still here, and I still need my mouth.”  It quickly faded into sobriety.  “But don’t thank me yet.  Choosing the stone was the easy part.  Now we need to see what Braska can do with it.”

“Don’t try to rain on my parade.  Teasing me like that was mean!”

“I wasn’t trying to play a cruel jest on you.  I didn’t know how I would feel until I saw the fallen Fayth.  Now I do.” He met her eyes.  “Anger has always been able to galvanize me.”

“I guess I should thank Yunalesca for something after all.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

Slowly, they picked their way through the remaining statues and back outside of the cavern.  Too slowly, in Rikku’s opinion; as soon as the way was clear, she hurried them across the starlit sanctum.  Impatience rushed her feet over the rough floor more quickly than Auron could keep up.  He tripped as she yanked him forward, and felt the rumble of his chuckle at her eagerness when he crashed against her back.

“Calm yourself. Rushing will change nothing.” He pulled her to a stop before the shut doors.  “Focus and take your time. Do not destroy Isaaru’s seal.”

Rikku lowered the hand she’d raised to push through the wards.  “Why the heck not?”

“Remember what you said.  I don’t want you to have any regrets - not even about this.”

Auron’s words grounded her. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and forced her fluttering heart to slow.  Instead, she began to pick her way through the weave of magic meticulously, pushing back her burgeoning impatience.  After what seemed like an eternity, she finally gave Auron permission to open the stone doors.  Stepping out, she spotted Gippal, Braska and Jecht talking animatedly amongst themselves at the foot of the steps.

The conversation cut abruptly at their arrival.  Braska rose to his feet, his face pale and his conversation with the others forgotten.  “Auron?”

The doors slammed shut behind them, echoing in the sudden silence.  Auron marched down the stairs past her, his expression flinty.  He didn’t say a word until he stopped before Braska, his one eye fixed to the summoner’s face.

Braska swallowed.

“Uhh…” Gippal looked between the two, confused by the sudden tension.  “Did something hap-”

Jecht reached out and clamped a hand over Gippal’s mouth, dragging him backwards.  His eyes were dancing with glee.  “Shh.  This is gonna be good.”

Rikku waited nervously at the top of the steps, watching the two men facing off.

The silence stretched.  Finally, Auron punctured it.  “All that effort expended to impress her, and yet you didn’t even cast a single spell.  Amateur.”

Braska’s eyebrows went up.  He leaned over and snuck a glance at Rikku, who despite her blush couldn’t hide her cheeky grin. 

It’s alright.  She winked at him.

Relaxing slightly, he leaned back to look up at Auron, who was still looming.  “Did you forget? I was the one who taught you that trick.  Besides…”  He looked pleased with himself.  “I didn’t need to.” 

Auron’s eye narrowed.  “You smug reprobate.  Don’t push your luck.” Turning around, he beckoned towards Rikku.  She scampered down the steps to his side, smiling and tilting her cheek up when he leaned down to brushed his lips against her skin.  Then he straightened and looked back at Braska.  “This changes nothing.  For any of us.”

Jecht squawked, looking disappointed.  “What? That was it?  Aww, man! Where’s the fireworks?  The drama?  The bloodshed?”

Auron turned to glare at Jecht, letting his hand hover over his back as if he was about to materialize his sword.  “Did you want bloodshed so badly? I can accommodate.”

“Whoa there!  Nope, no thanks,” Gippal grunted as he squirmed his way out of Jecht’s grasp, deciding that the safest place to be was behind Rikku.

Jecht, on the other hand, was completely unintimidated, crossing his arms and grinning at Auron broadly.  “I’m just pullin’ yer chain, Auron!”  His smile stiffened when Auron actually materialized the Masamune.  “Kiddin’!  I’m kiddin’!  Real glad you three finally worked it outta your systems!”

Gippal made a choking noise behind her.  “Dear machina, maybe I shouldn’t have come here after all.”  Rikku stifled her giggle; he always was too smart for his own good.  “At least tell me you found the stone you needed while you were in there.”

“Sort of,” she sing-songed, still buoyed by her excitement.  “The stone we need isn’t in there at all.”  Skipping down the rest of the steps, she brushed past Auron and stood at the entrance to the antechamber, looking down at Zaon’s Fayth stone.

Auron released his hold on the Masamune and followed after her, grunting his agreement.  “I have no desire to impose my will over any of Yunalesca’s victims.  Not when there is a much more suitable host right below our feet.”

Following after them, Braska’s expression lightened.  “Lord Zaon?”  He crouched by the stone, studying it.  “Ah… I understand.  You always did have an uncanny knack at clearing a way through a path strewn with thorns.”

“I couldn’t bring myself to erase the sacrifices of my fellow Guardians.  This one, on the other hand…”  Auron’s eye tightened.  “I despise him.  I despise them both, those legendary lovers that brought our world to ruin.  And yet…”  His voice lowered, along with his head.  “I could understand him, and why he joined hands with Yunalesca on her path of destruction.”  Sinking to one knee, he placed his hand over the cold, empty stone.  “All because he loved her more than his own good judgement or his life.”  He looked up and met Rikku’s eyes.  “I could think of no more appropriate host for my soul.”

Some of Rikku’s ebullient joy faded at Auron’s words – she hated to admit that they were painful because they were accurate.  But the part of her that had brought him to Spira - that had bucked Auron’s final wish for her to move beyond him - rebelled against his unspoken chastisement.  “Then maybe I can understand Yunalesca just a little bit too.”  She lifted her chin, keeping her eyes locked on Auron.  “Because I won’t say I’m sorry for anything I’ve done, either.”

Braska looked between them, and sighed softly.  “That determination is why you, too, will have the power to change our world, Rikku.  But unlike Lady Yunalesca, I believe you will do so for the better.”  He looked at Auron, his smile warming.  “All the more so if Auron remains by your side.”

Jecht squatted next to them, a grin spreading across his face.  “’Ey!  I’ll still be here to keep an eye on these two fools, remember?  Man, you lovebirds really got some ego on you, forgettin’ about the rest o’ us aeons.”

Kneeling between Braska and Auron, Rikku reached out and grabbed onto both of their hands.  “That’s the difference, I think.  You guys… all of you… you’re my family.  I won’t ever forget how to love this world if the rest of you keep reminding me of why I do.”

There was a communal shout of surprise as Jecht leaned forward and threw them all into an open-shouldered huddle-hug over the stone, pushing their heads together.  “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!  Team BARJ is back in action, baby!”

Despite the collective groans of protest that rose at Jecht’s declaration, no one seemed to be willing to let go, smiles spreading around as they held on to one another tightly, reunited once again.

This… this is what I was searching for, all along.  This is my happy ending.

A throat clearing behind them brought the moment to a close.  “This is so sweet I think I might lose a few teeth.  But what happens now?”  Gippal leaned against the wall, unapologetic about his interruption.  “Pretty sure it takes more than a group hug and good feelings to make a new Fayth.”

Disentangling herself from the boys, Rikku glared at Gippal.  “You could wait outside if you were so allergic to public displays of affection, you know.”

Gippal shrugged innocently, grinning.  “No way.  This is mythology being made real!  You couldn’t pay me to pass up on this ride.”  He settled down beside them.  “So, Braska… what’s so forbidden about this ritual you’re gonna perform?”

Silence bloomed, and Braska cleared his throat uncomfortably. 

Jecht grimaced, answering for him.  “Well, see, usually the summoner has to kill the person agreein’ to be the aeon.  Gotta get that soul outta that body somehow, right?”  He raised his hands, warding off Gippal’s widening eyes.  “But I figure that ain’t gonna be the main problem here!  Auron’s already dead, so there ain’t no need to get violent!”

To his credit, Gippal didn’t miss a beat.  “The main problem?  You mean there’s another problem besides, you know, murder?”

“The summoner’s soul.”  Auron sat back on his heels.  “We still don’t have a summoner with a soul complete enough to perform the ceremony.”

Braska didn’t contradict Auron’s declaration, and some of Rikku’s hope wavered.  “We can’t ask Yunie.  She already gave away part of her soul to bring Tidus back.”

“Well, why isn’t Braska enough?” Gippal asked, gesturing at him.  “Why would you even need Yuna - or anyone else - in the first place?”

“The summoner is the one who must perform the ritual.”  Braska steepled his fingers in his lap, his voice pensive.  “The summoner grants their victim a piece of their own essence to anchor the drifting soul to this world.  In doing so, the Fayth stone is formed.  Most High Summoners can perform this ritual only once.  I have done so twice, in order to anchor my own soul to both Jecht and Rikku.  It is why I cannot pass beyond in the Farplane.  There is… nothing left to pass on.”  He smiled wryly, galled by his own weakness.  “So you see, I no longer have enough of my soul left to perform this ritual for Auron.  I am… not truly here, after all.”

A heavy silence hung over the group as they considered the implications.  Rikku spoke up first, grasping at straws.  “Isaaru’s been pretty active lately.  He’s all about preserving Spira’s history, so maybe we could ask him to –”

“This is not a ritual that should be preserved!” Auron’s retort was as sharp as his sword.

“’ey, who are you gonna ask instead, huh?” Jecht shot back.  “That Dona chick?  I thought you told me she hated Blondie’s guts!”

Braska was also frowning, though at Rikku.  “I have been helping you repair Isaaru’s terrible Farplane seals this entire time.  This ritual does require a certain… erm… shall we say, talent –”

“Why?”  Gippal’s question interrupted them all.  “Why does it need to be a summoner’s soul?”

They fell silent; Rikku recognized the look on his face.  It was the same one he had whenever he was taking apart a new machina.  She could see his mind working as he parsed through their arguments. 

Gippal pointed at Braska.  “Look, you’re the only person -” He coughed uncomfortably.  “Uh, entity left in Spira that knows this ritual, right?”

“That’s correct,” Braska agreed.

“But you can perform it, right here and now.  I mean, you got Auron, and you got this stone.”  Springing to his feet, he kicked at the empty Fayth stone.  “So I think you should just go for it.  You’ve come this far, it would be stupid to give up without even trying.”  He grinned at Rikku.  “Besides.  Quitting doesn’t sound much like the Rikku I know.”

Rikku stood slowly, staring at him.  “Gip?”

Smirking, Gippal paced around the stone to stand next to her.  “Look, all I’m saying is there’s only one human soul here last time I counted.  And you only need a part of it, right?  So why does it have to be Braska’s?  If there’s anything working on old machina has taught me, it’s that sometimes you gotta make broken things work by subbing in new parts.”  He put his hands on both of her shoulders, his smile fading.  “And fixing you would be my greatest achievement, now wouldn’t it?”

Rikku’s mouth opened and closed, unable to form words.  His face was going blurry, though.  “Gippal…”

“Aw, come on now, Auron’s girl,” he huffed, his tone softening.  “No tears allowed.  I get to choose what I want to do with my soul, just the same as the rest of you.”  Then he clapped her on the shoulders once and released her, smirking.  “Besides… just think of all those Yevonites turning over in their graves if they saw this.  We’d actually be able to prove Al Bhed really do have souls after all.”  His loud laugh trailed off as Auron stood up to face him.  “Uh… if that’s okay with you.  Sir.”

Auron stared at him for a long moment, before offering Gippal his outstretched hand.  “It would be my honor.”  A faint hint of melancholy tugged at his lips.  “I was right about you.  And… I apologize.  For stealing your place at her side.”

Gippal grabbed onto his outstretched hand, shaking it firmly.  “What place?  You say that like you think it was some kinda predetermined thing, but we Al Bhed don’t believe in sitting back on our butts and waiting for something as lame as fate to happen.  We make our own futures, and if you snooze you lose.  Just look at exhibit A, your girl here.”  He then let out an undignified yelp as he was torn away from Auron by Jecht’s bear hug.

“I dunno where she found ya, kid, but you’re a champ!”  Jecht was still in the process of spinning Gippal – now flailing – around when he stopped and looked at Braska.  “Yo, B… is this really gonna work though?”

Braska had fallen silent, his head bowed in thought.  He looked up and blanched.  “Jecht.  Could you perhaps put that poor young man down before you negate his kind offer with your enthusiasm?”

“Huh?  Oh, sorry kid!”  Jecht dropped Gippal to the ground.

“I-I’m good,” Gippal wheezed as Rikku bent down in concern, slapping him on the back.  “Damn, you make yourself some scary friends, Rikku.  I don’t know if I should be proud or terrified to be one of them.”

“I… don’t see why we couldn’t try,” Braska finally said.  Reaching out to Gippal, he murmured a few words, and his tell-tale brand of powerful healing magic brought the other man fully upright.  Clasping onto his hands, Braska looked into his eye searchingly.  “It could go very badly for you, my friend.  Are you sure you wish to do this?”

Gippal met his gaze and then smirked.  “As if I’d pass up this chance.  You said it yourself.  The competition is stacked, I gotta get in while I have a chance.”

A flicker of understanding passed through Braska, and he smiled.  “Then… Auron, if you will?”

“Wait, what, you’re doin’ it now?”  Jecht frowned, grabbing Rikku’s hand and pulling her away from the Fayth stone.

Auron stepped forward, his brow furrowed.  “And when else?  Either this will work, or it won’t. There is no use in dwelling on drawn-out goodbyes.  I’ve been here long enough.”

Releasing one of Gippal’s hands, Braska turned and regarded Auron with amusement.  “No time to waste, as you always say?”

Auron grunted, a tight grin forming.  “Get it over with.”

Rikku watched with bated breath as Braska began to chant.  Auron twitched, and then twitched again.  His chest and back started glowing; runes were appearing, the ones she’d inscribed on him in Besaid.  He jerked convulsively as they burned off one by one, their released power thrumming through the temple.  As they disappeared, Auron’s features began to morph.  His face grew angular, his lone eye lit with a sickly yellow glow, and his ears and teeth sharpened into their all-too-familiar fiendish points.  A low growl undercut the current of magic running through the room; it was coming from Auron himself, his soul no longer contained by the barrier she and Braska had erected around it.

“He’s losing himself!”  Fear and worry made her clench onto Jecht’s hand with an iron grip; she felt him turn his palm into hers and clasp her hand with a gentleness that belayed her own growing panic.

“We gotta calm him down so Braska can do this, Blondie.  Sing.”  Squeezing her hand, Jecht smiled and flung open his soul.

Her worry dissolved as the baritone of his Hymn filled the room, ebbing and flowing around the magic Braska wove.  The song echoed through the temple, rising beyond its walls.  She could feel the pyreflies all around them moving sluggishly, responding to the call.  She felt its tug in her own soul just as deeply, and let her own Hymn come spilling out.

Their voices twisted and twined together, swelling with the magic.  Pyreflies whirled to life all around them, filling the room with the soft, iridescent glow of the Farplane.  Gippal’s eyes were wide and his mouth hung open in disbelief, while Braska’s were closed tightly in concentration.  Auron’s convulsions gradually stilled, his growls subsiding as his features softened into human ones. 

Rikku reached out, letting her Hymn surround and soothe Auron, coaxing him back into himself.  Dream, she whispered.  Dream, without end.  Let me heal your pain.

For a moment they were all suspended in the eternal twilight of the Farplane, the Hymn coursing through their bodies and minds.  And then Braska’s hand reached for Auron’s chest.  He didn’t stop on it, but delved through it, looking for something deeper within.  Rikku recognized what he was doing, a strange variation of her own signature thieving move.  He was searching for Auron’'s soul, the core of his being that made him who he was.

Auron grimaced in agony at the intrusion, but he didn’t make a sound – instead, his form faded as Braska found what he was looking for and grasped on to that kernel of truth, the essence of who Auron was, and gently drew it out of him.  Auron was a crystal of light that shone so bright, pure and cold that it took her breath away.  The shape of his soul was sharp and jagged, clearly cracked in several places.  It looked so brittle that it might crumble to dust at a mere breath.  And yet in Braska’s hand it pulsed, stubbornly holding together, weathering every challenge, even this last one.  She looked into the light and recognized him, recognized who he was, and her heart quavered with the love she felt.

Braska sank to the floor, pushing that shining essence into the empty Fayth stone.  The light trembled, threatening to spill out between his hands as he poured it in.  For a brief moment, the statue lit and rippled; the hard stone seemed to soften into malleable flesh and cloth.  Rikku swore she saw Zaon’s cape move.

And then the cry of the pyreflies grew louder, louder even than the Hymn that filled the room.  Rushing wind and their discordant screams rose to a deafening pitch and volume.  The crystalline light began to flicker and dull, fading back into the cold essence of stone.

Rikku wanted to scream, but desperation kept her from crying out – instead, she belted out the Hymn, fighting against the call of the pyreflies, struggling to keep them from stealing Auron’s soul away.  Distantly, she knew she was watching him die, really-truly-forever die.  His soul would separate and scatter, never to return to the Farplane again.  Instead, the bits and pieces that made him would be sucked up by the stream of souls winding above Zanarkand, joining them in their endless journey of sorrow as they lost all sense of who they once were.  He would become a piece of their collective essence of regret and loneliness as a shattered echo, destined to forever haunt Zanarkand –

The pyreflies’ desperate screams abruptly weakened as a warm glow suffused the room, driving back the pastel twilight of the Farplane.  A tiny sunrise was overwhelming them, a golden glow that lit the runes on the Fayth stone slowly, one by one.  It was a seal, Rikku realized; a seal, to trap a soul within the stone and prevent it from spilling out like water from an overturned bowl.  Warm and familiar, she knew its source even before she opened her eyes.  Braska was pulling it out of Gippal; he funneled that wonderful vibrant brightness directly out of the Al Bhed’s soul and into the cold stone below, turning it warm and pulsing and alive.

The Fayth stone continued its transformation, softening as Zaon’s cape melted away and obscured the man’s features, turning its surface into a lumpy sea of undulating grey.  From that stormy ocean a figure slowly rose and took shape.  Rikku felt her breath catch; she’d recognize Auron’s broad shoulders and back anywhere.  His long hair had returned, grey as iron and bound in a ponytail as it had always been, fanning out behind him like a tail.  His iconic red coat had also returned, covering one of his muscular shoulders.  She recognized the pauldron on it, the one whose fretwork she’d designed herself; her heart fluttered as she caught a tiny detail, the phoenix down she’d given him so long ago still dangling from it in clear relief.  But there were parts of him she also couldn’t recognize; claws and fur that sprouted organically from the ends of his limbs, turning them strange and fiend-like.  And behind him, a full moon with the symbol of Yevon etched into it surrounded his body.

It was at that point that Rikku had to stop looking at the newly formed stone because the Hymn changed, capturing her attention.  She felt her soul thrum and vibrate as a deep bass thundered under Jecht’s baritone and her own mezzo soprano.  Their voices twisted around each other, joined together like lost souls rejoicing in being found, falling into harmony at last.  It was so beautiful that she couldn’t stop herself from weeping, giving herself over rapturously to the melody.  That is, until something gave her a gentle push.

Rikku’s Hymn stuttered to a stop.  Focusing, she saw Gippal grinning down at her.  There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked more haggard than the time he’d survived that three day marathon to pull some old diggers out of Bikanel’s sands.  But he tilted his head and shook Jecht awake as well while he spoke to her.  “Hey, lazy. You can’t spend all your time sleeping.”

“Huh?  Wha- ?” Jecht said groggily, his own song ending as his eyes popped open.

Rikku paid no heed to either of them, because her attention was trained on what lay before her – Auron, spread over his own Fayth stone, reposed as if he were sleeping.  His Hymn still rolled around them, deep and somber.  Rikku squatted at his side, her eyes trailing over his body as her trembling hands covered her mouth.  He was dressed as a guardian once again, complete with his signature red coat, long grey ponytail, and heavy collar.  Even his sunglasses had returned.  His face, however, was the same youthful one she’d grown to love during Braska’s Pilgrimage.

“Auron…”  She laid her hand on his chest, and his Hymn faded. 

His russet eye cracked open, staring blankly above, and then focused on her.  He sat up slowly with her help, wonder and surprise mixing on his face.  “The hunger,” he murmured, his eye widening.  “It’s gone.  It’s finally gone.”  He looked down at his hands, took a great, shuddering breath, and then buried his head in them, his shoulders shaking.

“You fought so hard, didn’t you,” Rikku whispered, realizing the enormity of the burden he’d carried all this time through the intensity of his catharsis.  Then she pushed his hands down and grabbed his face, pulling him towards her in a joyous, sloppy kiss.

Somewhere, distantly, she could hear Jecht talking to Gippal – “You did good, kid!” – but she couldn’t stop herself from feeling Auron – bright, warm, alive in her arms, Auron!  He was here and whole, and she could feel his Hymn – his soul - reverberating in her bones.  He surged to meet her, just as passionate, his hands like two brands of fire as they grabbed on and pulled her close.  In the end, it was Auron who broke away first, his wry laughter vibrating through her chest.  She caught her breath, wondering what set him off.  “What?  What is it?”

“That asshole.  He left us… again.”

Rikku pulled away and finally took in the chamber.  Though Jecht was perched along the alcove leading to the sanctum, propping up a sagging Gippal under one arm, Braska was nowhere to be seen.  Somehow, she knew Braska really was gone; at some point, during the fury of pyrefly light and sound that had been the ceremony, he’d vanished once again.  A dull ache twinged in her chest.

I promised him, too…

But Auron scooped her back into his arms before she could dwell on the thought.  “He’ll be back.  Braska has always been full of surprises.”  He lowered his head, capturing her for another searching kiss, drinking deeply from the overflowing spill of her love for him.

Pulling back, Rikku looked at his face.  “You kept the scar.”

“It’s a part of who I am.  Just as this is.”  His hand reached back and traced over the moon in his Fayth stone – and the symbol of Yevon it contained.  “Whether it was devotion or hatred… both shaped me.  I can accept that now.”

Rikku bumped him with her shoulder.  “I was half afraid you were gonna say it was love for a second there.”

“I love you unconditionally,” Auron replied.  “But you are not what makes the core of me.”

She smiled when he said it; she knew it was the lesson he’d been trying to teach her all along.  Be happy with me, not because of me.  You are more than just my foil, and I am more than just yours.  Still, she was filled with a sense of deep satisfaction when he pulled her back into the circle of his arms.  But all that really means now is that I get to have my cake and eat it too.  Smirking, she snuggled deeply within his embrace, finally filling the part of herself that she’d left hollow and barren during his absence.

He leaned down to kiss the back of her neck.  “Thank you for helping me find my way back to who I really am.”

She smiled, relaxing into him.  “Well, it wasn’t easy you know.  You were being so stubborn this whole time, refusing to believe this could be possible.  I think that officially means you’re in my debt now.”

“Hnn,” he murmured, nuzzling through her hair.  “And how long do you plan on holding that over me?”

She shifted slightly, turning to meet his lips.  “I dunno… I’d say a lifetime sounds pretty good.”

Chapter Text

“What about tenacity? I think tenacity sounds pretty cool!”

Auron sighed. “No. I refuse.”

Rikku pouted. “How can you just refuse to acknowledge your own personality traits? Besides, it’s not like you get to choose which aspect of humanity you just became the patron of.”

Auron’s one good eye stared at her flatly. “I will not become the god of obstinacy. As I’ve said, I feel no different than I did before other than the obvious relief of having my sanity intact once again.” His eye narrowed into a squint. “Though if you insist on continuing this conversation, you will be testing its limits.”

“C’mon. Don’t you think it’s at least a teeny tiny little bit fun to try and guess who you’ve become?” Rikku picked her way through the rubble of the ruined Dome, following closely behind him. “We’re gonna find out one way or another, so you don’t have to be such a killjoy about it.”

Auron stopped and winced. “Fine.” His arm snaked around her waist and drew her in as he lowered his head in contemplation while nuzzling the top of her high ponytail. After a moment he drew back, pensive. “Regret. That is what I believe I represent. My entire life has been defined by it.”

“Now that I don’t believe for one second. I refuse.” Rikku made sure to parrot Auron’s original tone. “It doesn’t feel like you regret anything right now,” she teased, leaning into his tellingly-strong embrace. “You know, I’m serious. I’ve been thinking about this. So maybe you’re not the god of tenacity. But it’s not much of a stretch to imagine you’re the embodiment of honor and loyalty. I know you don’t think it, but you’re as noble as they come in Spira. Take it from a real princess!” Grinning, she turned her face up and brushed her lips against his. “Your life’s been defined by the promises you’ve been keeping for even longer than your regrets. You’re the one who taught the rest of us what being true to yourself means. So have a little faith in yourself!” Then she snorted. “Get it? Faith? In yourself? Huh huh?”

Auron groaned, though he couldn’t quite hide his amused smirk. “Incorrigible.”

“And proud of it.” Rikku glanced over her shoulder at Jecht, who was trailing behind them as he helped Gippal pass through the debris. “Hey, are you guys doing okay back there? I’m getting a little worried about the radio silence from two of Spira’s loudest personalities.”

“You’re confusing me with Brother.” Gippal looked up with a wry smile, the circles still pronounced and dark under his eyes. “Besides, you two lovebirds need some alone time together. Who would want front row seats to your soap opera anyhow? No thanks, I got enough of that in my own life.”

Rikku gave him an uncertain grin. She wasn’t sure how much of Gippal’s bitter humor was simply exhaustion, or if it was disgruntlement from closing the door on the thorniest aspect of their own turbulent relationship over the years. Either way, she didn’t want to poke the chocobo, especially not after he’d given up a piece of his soul for the sake of her own happiness.

Gippal caught the look on her face and crinkled his eyes into a genuine smile. “Relax, Auron’s girl. I can see you thinking too hard from over here. Seriously, I’m happy for you guys.”

Looking between them, Jecht hefted Gippal’s arm over his shoulder, breaking the moment. “Oi! I ain’t gotta stack on top of puns as bad as yours, Blondie.” He smirked. “’Sides. It’s kinda nice watchin’ people in Spira finally get some happy endin’s for once. ’Bout damn time, if ya ask me.”

That heartfelt sentiment settled over everyone; even Auron grunted in approval. The moment couldn’t last, though; the companionable silence broke with a shrill whistle.

“Yeowch!” Jecht nearly dropped Gippal, plugging one ear shut with his free hand. “The hell is that?”

Swearing, Gippal pulled a small transponder out of his jacket. “We may have wished for that happy ending a little too soon.” A few rapid taps took care of the alarm, but his grim expression didn’t improve.

“What is it?” Rikku asked with a sinking feeling.

“Trouble.” Auron materialized his sword.

“You remember that new system I was telling you about on Bikanel?” Gippal displayed a handheld machina device to Rikku. A small, pulsing blip was traveling rapidly across its screen. “I was working out this portable prototype for it, so I asked Brother to set up a perimeter around Zanarkand. Looks like it’s working.”

“Brother came back on the Celsius?”

Gippal stared at her. “It’s not the Celsius and you know it.”

“Berrik,” Auron growled.

Cracking his neck, Jecht grinned. “Great! I say it’s time we put that bastard into the ground. Let’s go!”

“Whoa there!” Gippal leaned backwards, throwing his weight against Jecht’s forward charge. “We don’t have to go anywhere,” he said, his eyes glued to the transponder.

A quiet certainty descended over Rikku. “Right. He’ll come to us because he’s here for me.” She glanced around the Dome. “Let’s get outside. This place is special to Yunie, I don’t want to fight him in here.”

The journey to the entrance was markedly more somber than before. As she stepped outside and into the eternal twilight of Zanarkand, Rikku wasn’t surprised to see Berrik waiting for her on the broken highway. What did surprise her was how human he looked.

Auron let out a low growl under his breath, his hand on the hilt of the Masamune.

“Twice you’ve denied me,” Berrik shouted at her, ignoring the others. “Why do you resist your fate, Rikku?”

Leather creaked as Auron’s grip tightened. “Let me face him this time.” Banked fury edged his voice, but this time it was tempered by something that gave her confidence in his ability to handle the man before them – focus, as sharp and deadly as his katana.

“Go get him, tiger.” Crossing her arms, Rikku leaned back to watch.

Berrik bristled. He stepped forward angrily, armor beginning to climb around his body as he pointed a finger at Rikku. “Do not ignore me, goddess -”

His words clipped off into a grunt as Auron rushed forward without any fanfare, the Masamune already moving around his body in a graceful arc. Expecting a roundabout swing, Berrik raised his now-armored forearm to block. Instead, Auron abruptly shifted his weight and threw himself into a one-armed forward lunge, covering the great distance left between them with the impressive length of the sword. The katana nicked Berrik through his still-exposed neck. Auron’s feet skittered backwards as he pulled the weapon free and Berrik staggered, clutching at his bleeding throat in surprise.

Not wasting any time from the surprise granted by his quick attack, Auron skipped forward. His sword whistled into a smooth upwards arc that batted Berrik’s hand away from his throat. He reversed the twist of his torso and with a flick of his wrist whirled the Masamune, lightning-quick, over his head. Plunging forward, he slashed the blade back into the same injury he’d just made, this time cutting a deep grin into Berrik’s neck while smashing his windpipe with a sickening crunch. The Al Bhed only managed to keep his head because of the armor that had climbed up the back and sides of his neck, stopping Auron’s sword before it could completely decapitate him. Berrik went flying from the force of the blow and hit the ground with a loud thud, his body skidding as it rolled over the broken asphalt.

“Holy shit!” Gippal flinched as he watched Auron flick the katana around, divesting it of Berrik’s blood. “Did becoming an aeon make Auron that fast?”

Jecht’s belly laugh echoed through the ruins and he gave Gippal’s head an affectionate pat. “Naw, kid. That’s how he always was. Guess pretending to get old back then really slowed him down, huh?”

Unphased by the violence, Rikku kept her eyes trained on the crumpled body on the ground. It stirred, and she grit her teeth. “Berrik’s not done yet,” she warned them, calling out her Godhand as Auron sunk into another wary battle crouch. As she predicted, Berrik’s body - which by all rights should have died from Auron’s brutal strike - twisted and rose jerkily from the ground. Mad laughter echoed through the ruins as the exosuit continued to rise around his body, covering the gaping slash on his throat. Rikku mirrored him, forming her own exosuit around her body. “Stay on your toes! Auron might need a little help from the rest of us.”

“Your attack dog has teeth!” Berrik’s faceplate formed over his head, though it couldn’t hide the oddly wet and warped sound of his voice. He rose into the air slowly, his exosuit continuously growing and morphing into something larger than it had been before.

“You want teeth?” Auron’s own face began distending as light flared around his body. His furious words disappeared into a real growl; his own form continued to grow in size alongside Berrik’s. Fur sprouted from his back and he fell to all fours, glowing incandescent with light and completing the transformation into his newly-acquired aeon form.

Rikku knew him as soon as he changed. All aeons, she reflected absently, somehow recognized one another when they witnessed their true forms. Still, even in his new body he remained beautifully primal, she thought with some envy; he was all sinew and muscle and wild, rough energy. One red eye opened on the scarred beast’s face, and his lips pulled back into a fierce snarl that reverberated through her bones.

“Auron’s a giant wolf!” Gippal gaped at the newly-born aeon, whose hackles were raised.

“His name is Fenrir,” Rikku breathed, admiring his lupine form.

Berrik retreated into the sky, his thrusters firing erratically. Unwilling to let go of his prey, Fenrir threw back his head and howled. The earth rumbled and around him the ground erupted, shafts of jagged rock rising below his massive paws and thrusting him into the sky. Muscles tensed, Fenrir leapt after Berrik, soaring through the air in a terrifying blaze of fur, teeth and claws.

Berrik’s ascent picked up speed, but Fenrir’s body began to glow again. It was different from Auron’s transformation; this time, the light was harsh and otherworldly, almost as if Fenrir was calling upon the spirits of the dead to aid him. The pyreflies in the sky certainly responded to the call, swirling around him like moving galaxies before diving to circle around Fenrir’s body. The image of the wolf split and multiplied, doubling, quadrupling, quickly filling the sky with a whole pack of translucent spirit-wolves. Unconstrained by gravity, they gave howling chase after Berrik. One snapped at his heels; catching on the armor, the spirit tugged him down and clamped his jaws around Berrik’s leg, holding him in place. One after another, the others smashed into him in a relentless and brutal charge. Berrik jerked back and forth in the sky, grunting in pain. After several strikes, the wolves backed away to coordinate their attack, their ethereal forms running together and blending into a familiar-looking whirlwind that spun Berrik’s body up into the sky like a leaf caught in a violent storm.

As strange and powerful as the attack was, Rikku saw the heart of it right away. “That’s Auron’s tornado!” she yelled excitedly to Jecht, a smile breaking over her face as she hit his arm repeatedly.

“Oww! Well, damn,” Jecht agreed, watching the show open-mouthed. “It’s a helluva lot bigger now though.”

Fenrir landed with a thump on the ground next to them, fully solid and pacing as his eye tracked Berrik’s trajectory through the sky. The hapless Al Bhed came rocketing out of the tornado to smash into the ground, destroying a few more of the ruins in Zanarkand in the process as he cut a swath through them in his heavy armor.

“That’s gotta hurt,” Jecht chortled. He was cut off by a deep growl from Fenrir. “Say what?!”

Gippal did a double take. “You can understand him?”

“We don’t need words to talk when we’re like this.” Rikku kept her eyes fixed on Berrik’s figure. “But Fenrir’s right. You need to get Gippal outta here, Jecht. This isn’t a fight for mortals.”

“Aww, c’mon! You gave Auron a turn!” Jecht complained, his hair slowly creeping towards white. “What about me, huh? Why can’t I have any fun?”

Rikku turned and gave him a grim smile. “Because in the end, I’m the one who created him. So I’m the one who has to deal with him. And…” Her smile lightened as she turned her eyes towards Gippal, who was watching her closely. “Gip’s important to both me and Auron. I know you can protect him.”

“Hang on now, I can still fight too –” Gippal began, fumbling for his mortar with clumsy, uncoordinated hands.

Eyeing Gippal nearly drop the weapon, Jecht let out a long-suffering sigh. “Fine.” Jecht’s skin began to harden and thicken, whorls and scars crawling across his body, reminders of his time as Sin. Gippal let out a weak yelp as the man he’d been leaning against grew into something otherworldly and frightening. Glowing eyes bore down on them, shining brightly against the darkened sky. Jecht’s aeon form leaned over and scooped Gippal under one of his now-massive arms, holding the Al Bhed like a glorified blitzball.

“H-hey! What’s he doing?!” Gippal squawked, finally losing some of his cool as he dangled helplessly in the aeon’s arms.

“Don’t worry,” Rikku said, waving her hands at Gippal. “It’s still Jecht in there. He’ll keep you safe!”

“This guy is Jecht?” Gippal repeated, eyes wide as he looked up at the hulking, silent aeon with the permanent scowl etched on his face.

“Well,” Rikku fudged, glancing back over her shoulder when Fenrir growled. Berrik was starting to stir again. “Kinda sorta? His name isn’t Jecht when he’s in that form, though.”

“Well what is it?!” Gippal yelled, struggling against the iron grip.

Fenrir dropped his head and whuffled. It sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Stifling her giggle, Rikku shook her head. “Just go on, you two. We’ve got this.”

“Hey, no, wait! What’s his naaaAAH!” Gippal’s question trailed off in a doppler cry as the aeon bent his knees and took off running for the ocean. They disappeared with a splash into the dark waves, picking up speed once they hit the water.

Rikku turned to Fenrir, who’d lowered his head, and stroked a finger along the ruff of his neck. “I know he helped Braska defeat Sin like that, but really… I just don’t have the heart to tell Gip that he named himself Blitz King,” she groaned. “Kinda takes the lightning out of his thunder once you know.”

Fenrir snorted in agreement, then nudged her in the side. Looking over, she saw Berrik rising off the ground once again, this time unsteadily. His machina suit, though badly damaged and emitting sparks, was still evolving she noted with dismay; a niggling suspicion began to form in her mind.

“He won’t stop until I take care of him personally. The thing powering him, that one belief that’s been keeping him mostly human as an Unsent… that’s me, isn’t it?” The low growl that followed her proclamation made Fenrir’s discontent clear, but she reached up to stroke him reassuringly. “No, I mean it. He’s starting to lose it, but he still talks and thinks like a human, not a fiend.” She watched Berrik’s suit repair itself, forming into newer, sharper shapes as his armor grew even larger and more imposing – as she’d expected. “He’s cloned all of my abilities that he’s seen to date.” She took a breath. “He must have been spying on me during the battle in Bevelle. I’m the only one who can match him right now.”

Fenrir’s lone red eye fixed on her. He bowed his head in acquiescence, and she smiled and planted a kiss on his nose in response to the low whine rising in his throat. “I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

With that, Rikku launched herself into the air, trailing after Berrik. Approaching him more closely, she could see that his suit, although morphed into something new, was battered and beaten. It was dented badly in several places and splattered liberally with his own blood. And yet still he remained, his soul refusing to release its hold on his physical form. Surrounded as they were by the dense cloud of moving pyreflies, it almost felt as they were both suspended in the Farplane.

“Tell me,” he wheezed as they rose through the stream of pyreflies drifting in the sky, “why do you think we desire the things which we can never have?”

“Look here, buster!” Rikku huffed, flexing her fingers. “There’s no ‘we’ in your sick desires. But at least you’re starting to let go of your delusions, because you’re right about one thing – you’re never gonna have me.”

Berrik chuckled, the sound tinny and broken. “But I know now. We chase what we can never have precisely because those things remain out of our reach.” He stretched a hand out towards her, his eyes yearning behind his cracked faceplate. “And things which we cannot touch will never be sullied by our imperfect hands.”

His words sent a chill down her spine. “I’m still not your god,” she told him, activating her weapon.

“But you are a god,” Berrik countered, his body beginning to glow. “I saw you, Rikku Pollendina. I saw what you tried to do at Bevelle.” His armor twisted and expanded and his words echoed through the air. “But you hesitated. You held back perfection; your love for this imperfect world and its flawed people has tainted you.” His voice boomed as he craned his arms back, his legs slowly fusing together. “I shall perfect what you began. I will ascend to godhood by my own hand and finish what you could not. I shall offer this world to you as my greatest sacrifice, my goddess!”

I have to stop him before he becomes a full airship. The thought drove Rikku forward to attack. “Oh yeah? I won’t let you!”

Berrik turned tail and ran from her, rising above the pyrefly clouds and away from the dangers posed by Fenrir’s watchful presence below. The glowing motes of light parted before him as he picked up speed, racing through the sky to put distance between them while he struggled to morph into a new form.

Concentrating, Rikku felt the wheel on the back of her suit collapse, reforming itself into a streamlined jet engine. Her helmet clicked in place over her eyes as she rocketed after him, gaining on his attempted escape. She shot over him, cuffing his own thruster with her elbow when she caught up to send him whirling through the air in an uncontrolled fall. He caught himself quickly enough, still mostly-human shaped, and finally faced her.

“No more sacrifices. No more killing. Your time here is over,” she spat at him.

Berrik circled around her warily as if they were in a dance, his hands up in a guard. Mirroring him, Rikku edged in, keeping her chin lowered and her eyes locked on his.

“My time has only just begun,” he replied as they closed in. “I will remake this world as it should have been. A world by and for the Al Bhed, and the Al Bhed alone!”

Rikku didn’t reply, instead watching him closely. Despite his words, it slowly dawned on her why he was talking so much instead of pushing the attack.

He’s afraid. Afraid of me.

His posture was defensive, he cowered before her with his shield raised. She feinted with her fist. Cringing, he tried to protect his head and already-mangled throat with his arms. Seeing the opening, she lashed out with a low kick instead, her armored foot smashing into his thigh and staggering his flight. He reeled, off-balance, just long enough for her to draw back her fist and slug him across his now-unprotected face. He jerked from the impact. In his confusion she landed an uppercut with her Godhand that would have made Jecht proud, sending him hurtling backwards.

Unwilling to let Berrik escape, Rikku hit him with another two-fist combo that knocked the cracked faceplate off of his armor for good despite his attempts to block her strikes. Blood streaked his face, and his eyes were growing wild.

Berrik took a few desperate swings at her, but she dodged them easily – she was still faster than him even in her suit, and as he missed his last strike, she planted her knee in his torso with a sickening crunch. He doubled over and she punched the back of his head for good measure, sending him reeling away from her.

Somehow Berrik managed to recover, firing his thrusters to stop his spin and instead turn it into a midair twirl that shot back towards her – a fancy blitzball move if she’d ever seen one. It was undoubtedly going to end in a devastating kick if it struck her. Taking a page out of Auron’s book, she cut her own thruster and fell faster than his foot could connect. As he sailed over her head, she reached out and caught his weaponized arm, twisting it inwards and pushing his hand into his midsection. A well-aimed pull of the levers on his palm caused the laser to fire off into his abdomen, and his body shook from the shock.

“You’re no god either.” Rikku sprung onto his back and trapped his torso between her thighs, locking her ankles together. She spun to keep him off balance while wedging her arm under his chin. Grunting, she pulled back on her elbow with her other hand, squeezing his neck in a mockery of the tender embrace he’d been seeking from her. Metal screeched as her arms and her legs crushed his armor inwards with their augmented strength; still, the process was excruciatingly slow. The seconds ticked by uncomfortably, locked together in her turbulent grapple. Rikku had to resist the urge to giggle madly lest it weaken her attack. Neither Unsent nor aeons really needed to breathe, after all. But just like her, Berrik was still too attached to his humanity to realize it. The desperation in his attempts to extricate himself from her deadly grasp was genuine. He pulled at her forearms and nearly broke her chokehold, so she lifted a heel and slammed it into his crotch a few times. The armor dented there, too, and his struggles weakened noticeably. Gritting her teeth, Rikku didn’t relent, pulling for all she was worth until she felt his scrabbling hands weaken and slip away.

“Can’t you just move on?” she murmured as she let go and watched his body tumble downwards. “You’re not wanted here anymore.” He continued to fall and for a brief, joyous moment Rikku thought it was over. The breath she’d been holding left her in a disappointed whoosh when Berrik’s eyes opened once again, glowing white.

Doesn’t this guy ever give up?

Her exasperation melted into alarm as she realized he was actually beginning to complete the transformation into whatever his version of Eden would become – a dark, twisted thing that vaguely resembled her own aeon form. Even as his limbs fused and wings sprouted from his shoulders, her mind shied away from the abomination he was creating. He was unrecognizable; a fiend, through and through, for he had no name or identity other than the dregs of his Al Bhed one. The machina-creature was as warped as his mind, but she could still feel the electrifying power thrumming through his body. Berrik was, after all, nearly perfect at copying everything she did, right down to her flaws.

No Unsent of his age should be that powerful. Not even Seymour could transform that quickly or take on the form of an aeon! How is Berrik doing it?

It clicked, suddenly, and Rikku pushed herself into a steep dive, a smile on her face.

I don’t need to transform at all to beat him.

Berrik was growing larger and more imposing by the minute, but she could still see his human face and torso, welding into to the ship he was turning into. She scanned him briefly – and finally spotted it.
“That’s my Garment Grid! It’s about time you gave it back!” Reaching out, Rikku grabbed onto the nearly-hidden belt, which had been heavily modified, restyled and was currently wrapped around his waist. Gripping it firmly, she tore it free of his body, crushing one of the many glowing spheres embedded into it in the process.

The result was instantaneous – Berrik’s airship form dissolved and he let out an anguished howl, his body compressing rapidly back into his very human form, free of any copied augmentation. He plummeted into the ground, hitting it with a solid thud. Rikku trailed after him much more slowly, taking her time to crush each and every one of the sphere recordings he’d made of her. Her hand hesitated over the ancient one featuring her interview in the aftermath of her Lucan concert. “It’s time to move forward,” she told herself, cracking the glass globe and letting the memory run dry. Grimacing, she tucked the Garment Grid away in her pouch and approached the crater Berrik’s landing had created.

Despite everything, he was still struggling to climb out of the hole, both literal and figurative, that he’d landed in. His features were marred by the slanted lines of quickly encroaching fiendhood. A third, clawed arm joined the first two human ones trying to pull him out of the crater – Berrik was finally losing himself to the mad hunger of Unsent envy.

 “Give it up already!”
Ignoring her, Berrik finally pulled himself free of the rubble, panting wildly. His eyes glowed a sickly yellow and he seemed driven by nothing more than spite and obsession. His mouth, filled with razor-sharp teeth, opened fully. “I will remove your attachment to this world,” he rasped, lurching towards Fenrir, who was watching them. “Then you will see! You will ascend, and rain fire and brimstone upon this cruel world! Never once has it shown the Al Bhed justice, but you! You will be the tool of our revenge!”

“I’m not a tool,” Rikku growled, preparing to send her fist through his heart one last time. Berrik whirled on her, and a strange sensation blossomed in her chest. She heard Fenrir’s roar as she looked down and blinked at what she saw.

One of his hands, quick as a hypello, had pushed through – no, into her chest. He’d sunk in nearly to his elbow, but the rest of his arm wasn’t emerging through her back. It wasn’t an attack – she knew this sensation, felt him delving around inside of her. He’d copied her first, original technique. His questing hand was trying to steal something from within her soul.

Her chest curled in fear as his hand grasped around whatever he was looking for. She froze as she felt it, felt what he was taking from her. A warm, shining shard, shaped exactly like Auron’s soul – her love for him, crystalized into a solid mass. Berrik tugged, freeing it from its moor in her body and began to pull it out towards himself. It felt worse than any physical wound she’d ever experienced; he was ripping a trail of destruction right through her very soul. Part of her was surprised that there weren’t rivulets of blood following his hand as he dislodged her heart.

Her body moved of its own volition through the pain while her eyes dotted with tears. Closing her fingers around his wrist, she arrested the motion of his arm with a strength she hadn’t known she still possessed. In her mind, she saw another hand close around the shard inside of her – a hand which wasn’t Berrik’s.

That’s not for you to take, Braska said softly. He twisted Berrik’s hand with the power of a Berserker, forcing the Al Bhed to drop the shard. It settled back down where it belonged – deep inside of her heart. With the pain easing, Rikku managed to regain control of her limbs. Feeling Braska’s strength coursing through her, she shoved Berrik away from her body.

Berrik staggered backwards, stunned by her successful repulsion. What had seemed like an eternity had been only a few short moments, the blink of an eye – but more than enough time for the looming form of Blitz King to appear behind Berrik. Reaching back, the aeon plunged his arm into the Al Bhed. King’s hand didn’t emerge from the other side of Berrik’s chest; turnabout was fair play, apparently. Tugging, he pulled something free from Berrik, whose mouth opened in horror.

“NO!”

Emerging from his body was a ball of sunshine, burning bright like the sun. Soft whispers and familiar laughter chased the bead of energy as it left him. Rikku felt herself jerked backwards as Fenrir’s jaws closed around the back of her suit and dragged her away. She watched, open-mouthed, as King threw the glowing golden ball directly back into Berrik’s face.

The light exploded, wind whipping all around them as the laughter grew and multiplied in the blinding light of the explosion. When it dulled, Rikku blinked and gaped. Berrik was surrounded by ghostly, glowing images of women reaching for him. Images of her, from both her past and present, of all ages, in all sorts of costumes. They all grabbed for him, clawing onto him and holding him down, their eyes haunted and hungry.

“King… he stole Berrik’s obsession,” she realized. Rikku shuddered as she watched the ghostly versions of herself tear Berrik apart, ripping his armor to shreds and even tearing whole chunks of flesh from his distended, fiendish body. When the light finally faded, he was left sprawled over the ground as a broken, twitching lump. He tried to rise, but slumped back down with a groan – defeated, but still alive.

Blitz King and Fenrir’s bodies were transforming, returning to their human forms.

“Are you alright?” Auron asked, grabbing her by the shoulders and looking over her, his worry clear.

“I’m fine,” Rikku coughed out, tearing her eyes away from Berrik’s broken body.

“Wow, I can’t believe he’s still kickin’,” Jecht whistled, shaking his head.

Rikku paused, then looked at Jecht. “Hey! Where’s Gippal?”

Jecht, who’d been leaning over Berrik and prodding his body with a toe, straightened up and rubbed the back of his head with a too-loud laugh. “Well, I mean, he can swim, right?”

Auron groaned and started walking towards the ocean. “I’ll get him.”

“You?” Rikku stared at Auron, surprised. “But you’d have to swim –”

“I can sense him out there. My soul is bound to his,” Auron said simply. Then he turned back to them. “As yours are bound to Braska.” He looked down at Berrik’s twitching form. “There’s only one way to keep him down for good, and you two are the only ones who can do it.”

Rikku traded a look with Jecht, realizing Auron was right. Shaking off her Godhand, she concentrated, searching for the warm, glowing presence that sustained her, the piece of Braska’s soul that she still held onto. Lifting her hand, she saw his summoner’s staff take form and solidify. She could feel Jecht watching her.

“Yeah, yeah… I know,” he mumbled, meeting her look. Screwing up his face in concentration, he managed to materialize a staff of his own. She held out her hand to him. As he took it, he grinned at her. “In the end we’re still his extras, eh?”

“Not extras.” Rikku thought of the many times Braska’s soul had reached out to lend her his strength and wisdom. “Partners. So let’s do this right,” she said with a smile, her fingers tightening around Jecht’s. And together, as one, they began to dance.

After everything that they’d been through, Rikku was surprised by the silence that enveloped the campsite as they settled in for the night. The pyreflies still twisted overhead serenely, their song filling the air with its unique melancholy sigh. Berrik numbered among them, now, his soul scattered and trapped in the eternal stream drifting over Zanarkand.

Curling her knees into her chest, Rikku regarded her companions. Jecht was back on the promontory, staring off into the ruins, lost in his own memories. Auron had settled by the fire to carefully inspect and polish his sword. She took a moment to swoon over his appearance; as fun as it had been to dress him up as her bodyguard, there was something comforting and familiar about seeing him in his worn red overcoat; it was almost as much a part of his identity as the Masamune on his lap. Smiling, she glanced over at Gippal, who was of course tinkering with the transponder. He looked better than he had that afternoon; maybe the dip in the ocean had done him some good.

As if he could feel her eyes on him, Gippal glanced up and shook the transponder at her. “Brother’s still tied up in negotiations, so I think we’re gonna have to hike outta here.”

Rikku curled her toes in her boots, weighing her choices. In the end, she shrugged. I want them to know; I want the people I care about to know who I really am. “No way. Why walk when we could fly?”

Auron’s fingers froze on his sword. He looked up sharply. “I am not riding Jecht’s sword again.”

“Whoa!” Gippal sat up straight, looking between them. “Rikku, seriously! Just what did you guys get up to on that Pilgrimage? You’re making me feel like a saint here! Do you know how hard it is to do that?”

Rolling her eyes, Rikku stuck her tongue out at Auron. “Come on! I meant you guys could ride me instead.”

Gippal made a choking noise, looking more alarmed than ever.

Auron sighed and shook his head, returning to polishing his sword without comment.

Laughing, Jecht turned around and leapt off of the stone, settling between them. “Didn’t she already tell ya? Blondie’s an airship. Damn big one, too.”

“Says the ginormous aquatic monkey-man,” Rikku sniped.

“That’s King to you.” Jecht crossed his arms and smirked. The smirk dropped slightly, and his expression sobered. “Actually, I was hopin’ you could take me back to Macalania soon. I gotta check up on Carbuncle, an’ I got somethin’ to ask the spirits there, too.” He grinned at Rikku. “Ain’t nobody faster than you are in the skies, Blondie. Will ya help me out?”

“Like you even had to ask,” Rikku said warmly, returning his smile.

Gippal coughed into his hand. “Well, uh… as long as it doesn’t involve any of my body parts, you could gimmie a lift to Djose. I know I put him up to it, but I really should help Brother out. He’s way too nice and Shelinda’s got teeth.” He paused and glanced at Auron. “And I guess you two are gonna stick together like magnets from now on.” Leaning over, he held out his fist to Auron, winking. “Hey, do all the things I would’ve done to her, will you?”

Auron stared at Gippal’s outstretched hand. “Jackass,” he grumbled as he returned the fist bump. Then he vanished his sword and looked over at Rikku, his gaze dark and penetrating.

“Riiight,” Jecht said, standing up and making a show of stretching. “C’mon kid, time to take a hike.” He grimaced. “Better make it a long one.”

Gippal didn’t argue, springing to his feet and trailing after Jecht. “So what’s this about Auron riding your sword, huh?” he asked as they wandered away from the camp.

Rikku returned her attention to Auron, who was still staring at her as if he could consume her with a look alone. She stilled, meeting his gaze. She could feel his presence, the looming, hidden power of Fenrir now contained within him, and wondered how her own soul looked to him through his eye as an aeon.

“You are astonishing,” he said, as if he could read her mind. Maybe he could. “Every time I think I have reached the end of my journey, you open a new door for me.” She felt the weight of his devotion settle around her like a mantle with his searing look. “Where will you take us next, I wonder?”

Rikku smiled, anticipation tingling from the top of her spine to the tips of her toes. “Besaid seems like a good start.” Part of her euphoria dampened slightly at the memory of Auron’s original wish. “I know we can’t start a family there, but I thought maybe –”

“Why not?” Auron cut her off before she could finish, coming to his feet. He strode over to her, looming, and she wondered what she’d said to upset him. “How do you know?”

Blinking, Rikku finally realized what he was saying. “Huh? I mean Tidus and Yuna never managed it. I don’t think it’s possible -”

Auron silenced her by bending down and sealing his mouth over hers. It was a long kiss, a searching one, a homecoming. When she came up for air, her eyes swimming with stars, he caught her chin and filled her vision.

“You are possibility. You made me possible. I won’t rule out anything anymore.” He wrapped her in his arms and settled her against his chest – his warm, living chest. When she leaned against him, she could hear the thunderous beat of his heart; it was nearly as loud as her own.

“Nothing is eternal,” he told her, pressing her to him. “Nothing lives forever. But let’s take the time you’ve granted us together and make the most of it.”

Turning her cheek into him, Rikku hid her smile. She thought about Auron’s firm, unshakable belief in her; belief that happiness was a goal that they could finally obtain, together. “No one can tell us what the future will bring. Not anymore,” she murmured, squeezing him tightly. “But we’ll face it together.”

“Hnn,” Auron agreed.

“I dwell in Possibility […]
Of Visitors – the fairest -
For Occupation – This -
The spreading wide my narrow Hands
To gather Paradise –”

- Emily Dickinson