When You Are Gone

Disclaimer: I don't own anything in Final Fantasy X-2 but I do OWN the character that I made up in this story so shove off!!

Author's Note: I sort of messed with the pairings so those who usually despise made up character being paired with the original... give this one a shot please...? I only did that on one character for special reasons anyway...and, and, and... I really need your reviews. Heh.

Story takes place five years after the good ending of FF X-2...

This story is about the hyperactive and cute blonde named,Rikku... at the age of 22.

Prologue

            "Look! A shooting star!" Rikku immediately looked at the star-filled horizon above them and smiled. "What did you wish for?" When she looked back at the boy on her side, she giggled at his cute little frown. "You didn't tell me that I could wish whenever I see one." The frown became a pout; all the more reason to make Rikku laugh at the little boy. It always has been like this since in her eyes, Vidina was simply the most adorable person alive.

            "My bad..." She said, chuckling as she patted the boy's red hair. "I can wait for another one anyway." Vidina looked back at the sky with sparkling eyes. Rikku, meanwhile, stared at the horizon with a small sad smile creeping on her lips and thought about a wish. She thought that it was childish to hope on a falling star but what harm could it bring anyway? She pulled her legs up and wrapped her arms around it, propping herself; rocking back and forth- the position that she mostly do whenever there's something in her mind.

After a few moments, she noticed that Vidina was glancing at her with a wide grin, plastered on his face. She just knew that he's up to something really weird again and just after a few seconds, her prediction was in fact, flawless.

"Aunt Rikku, do you have a boyfriend?"

            Rikku almost fell on her back from the blowing question that she just received from Vidina. She knew that he was up to something weird but this question was in fact, the last thing that she ever thought would come out of little Vidina's mouth. Letting out a little nervous chuckle, she thought up of a way to answer the little boy.

            "Why'd you ask?"

            "I overheard Aunt Paine and Aunt Yuna talking about you and that meanie Gippal."

            Meanie? Well... he did hurt my feelings two years ago... Rikku thought and looked back at Vidina quizzically. "Wait a minute... have you been eavesdropping again?"

            Vidina's face took the color of his hair as he fumbled with the sand on his feet. "I wasn't!!" He gave a little pout, trying to convince the adult with him that he was telling the truth. "I just... heard the things that they were talking about."

            "Okay wise guy..." Rikku chuckled at the red-faced boy, "What did you HEAR then?"

            "Aunt Paine was really mad and I think that, that meanie deserved the whooping that he received from Aunt Paine two years ago."

            "Two years ago?" Rikku tried to hold back her laughter from the unforgettable scene that she remembered two years ago in Djosé Temple.

            "I just heard it the other day from Aunt Paine and Aunt Yuna. I think Aunt Paine is still mad with that meanie. Are you still hurting, Aunt Rikku?"

            She didn't know why Gippal did something like that to her- she didn't expect him to do that at all. It was a major blow and she admitted that she had a hard time getting over it. Everything was a haze and it happened so fast that she didn't even get the time to swallow everything down properly. She knew that her relationship with Gippal was by far the most perfect thing that she ever could imagine but two years ago, he blew all of it by saying five simple and hurtful words: I don't love you anymore.

            That was nice of him... She thought sarcastically, with mists of tears forming in her eyes.

Swallowing a lump on her throat, she forced a smile on her lips and looked down at Vidina. "Not anymore, kiddo. I've gotten over it. Aunt Rikku is tougher than she looks you know!" The boy placed his small hand on hers and gave a smile. "Don't worry Aunt Rikku, I'm sure that you're going to find someone who would love you like Daddy loves Mommy!" That was the sweetest and most comforting thing that she could ever receive from somebody. What's surprising is, she never thought of hearing that from a five-year-old kid.

            Rikku chuckled at the little boy. "Aww... you're a sweet little midget, aren't you?" Vidina grinned widely at her again and nodded. "But you know," Rikku said, grinning back at Vidina. "I think that whatever Aunt Paine did wasn't enough to teach him a lesson, don't you think?" Rikku winked at the little boy. With the thought in their minds, both of them let out a little giggle and stared back at the evening sky above them.

            "I think we should go back to the village. We don't want you catching cold now, right?" Standing up immediately, she held out her hand to the boy who reluctantly took and stood up. "But I haven't seen a falling star yet! I need to make a wish now!" Vidina's voice was pleading and his eyes were forming mists of tears. Rikku placed both her hands on her hips. "What's so important with this wish anyway?" She asked inquiringly with hints of curiosity forming in her sparkling green eyes. Vidina stared back at her with a grin on his face and turned towards the sky and pointed out.

            "Look!! Three of them!!" He pointed and jumped up and down excitingly.

            "Make a wish now before it disappear or you would have to wait until tomorrow night again to get a chance!" She said teasingly and looked up at the shooting star with a faint smile streaking across her lips. It won't hurt me anyway... She told herself and made a wish...

-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-

            "So..." Rikku said as they entered the village of Besaid. "Whaddya wish for?" A hint of curiosity and amusement was obvious in her voice.

            "It's a secret!" Vidina's eyes sparkled. The brat... She chuckled amusingly and glanced at the boy beside her.

            "It could become OUR secret if you tell me..." Rikku insisted but the boy shook his head disapprovingly. It was a little annoying but Rikku couldn't bear to get annoyed with the cute little boy.

            "Nah-ah..." He said and ran towards the bonfire in the village's center.

            "Ooooh... is little Vidina wishing for a girlfriend already?"

            "Nah-ah!!" Vidina pouted and crossed his little arms on his chest.

            "Then what did you wish for?"

            "It's not for me!"

            "Then who is it for?"

            Vidina turned around and ran towards their tent, shouting a very unexpected answer: "It's for you!!"

            Rikku stared at the tent where Vidina disappeared. She didn't expect to hear anything like that from a kid. With an amused chuckle, she walked her way towards the bonfire and sat beside it, warming herself a little bit and then turned her gaze up in the sky. That night was unlike any other for some reason that she couldn't figure out. Everything seems perfectly still and the stars were glittering beautifully in all of their glory.

            And then another shooting star came down... slowly... as if wanting her to wish for something.

            A small smile crept on the 22-year-old Al Bhed lady as she recalled the little boy's words before completely disappearing inside their tent.

            "Whatever his wish is... that's also what I'm wishing for..."

-=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx=-

Author's Note: So...? Whaddya think? Am I going to continue this thing? Please, please, please review!!!