Standard disclaimers apply.
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"Rides the shoopuff?" the swarthy shopuff driver asked in his drawling voice. He looked up expectantly at the blond girl standing before him.
"Yes, I need to get to Guadosalem," Rikku said softly. "There's someone that I need . . . . " she shook her head. "Nevermind."
"Whasss?" the driver drawled.
"Please take me to the other side," Rikku quickly said. She didn't want to swim across the Moonflow. Actually, in all reality, she didn't want to go to Guadosalam either. However, no matter how much she resisted the idea, she knew that the time had finally come. She needed to go to the Farplane and say good-bye to Auron once and for all. It wasn't healthy to keep moping about him.
"Tells mes whens yous are readies," the driver said and started to slowly walk away.
Rikku nodded her head, only half paying attention to him. She closed her eyes, reviewing the horrible feeling that had seized her gut tightly when she had finally learned why Auron had kept his distence in spite of her careful advances. As Yuna Sent him, she had felt a part of herself dissolve. She had felt -
"I need to cross," she heard a girls voice say. Looking up, she spotted a young girl - probably her age. She was standing beside the shoopuff driver and looking completely lost.
"Sorries, but summoners ands their guardians gets firsts priorities," the driver said firmly. "Yous haves to waits with the others."
The girl nodded her head as the driver strolled away from her. Then she fell to her knees, holding her hand over her heart. Rikku raced over to her immedieatly.
"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.
The girl looked up, green eyes unfocused. "I'm lost . . . . I don't even know why I'm here," she managed to say.
Rikku helped her to her feet. "Come on. I'm heading across the Moonflow right now. You can come with me, you know!" It made her feel slightly better to be helping someone. It made her forget about her own troubles and worries.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
"Where are you heading?" the young woman asked.
Rikku glanced up. "To the Farplane . . . . . to visit the one I love," she said simply. She swirly green gaze drifted back to the murky waters and she continued. "What about you? What village are you from?"
"I'm from . . . . the Planet," the young woman murmured. "My name is Aeris. I - Sephiroth he - Well he - " she stopped talking abruptly. "Nevermind," she whispered.
"I'm Rikku! You're from the Planet, huh? Well, I guess I can't press you too much," she said cheerily. "You got a boy back home?" She didn't know what brought the subject up, but once it was there, she couldn't get rid off it.
"I love . . . well I think I do . . . . " Aeris said, her voice trailing off. A look of worry crossed her pretty features.
"I couldn't quite decide either," Rikku said, forcing herself to look at the young girl. "I never really told him, you know. It's just like I assumed her pick up on my signals and tell me - "
"I think he's dating someone else," Aeris explained. "I don't think he really ever and then . . . . Sephiroth . . . . .I just want to tell him so bad. I want to know how he feels about me but - "
Rikku smiled. "You can tell him, you know. What's his name? Where does he live? I'm not doing - "
"You're going to see your man, correct," Aeris interrupted. "Are you going to tell him how you feel?"
"No, he can't hear me where he is. It's more like he's just a memory, you know. My memory. That's what I'm going to visit. He's . . . . ." Rikku paused. "He died, a long time ago."
Both girls looked away, each thinking their own thoughts. Then Rikku switched back to Aeris. "Hey, after I say good-bye I need to find something to do. I could help you find your man - "
Aeris didn't respond. "What's the Farplane?" she asked softly. "It sounds magnetic, like I should be there . . . . . "
Rikku glanced across the water. "See those glowing lights?"
Aeris nodded. "They're beautiful," she noted.
"Well when you die . . . . . " Rikku began, but stopped at the striken look on Aeris' face. "I'm sorry, did I say . . ?"
"No, you're fine. Continue," Aeris whispered, watching the pyreflies in an entraced fashion.
"Right, when you die, you go to the Farplane. It's where the dead live. The pyreflies bring images of them to the surface, so when you see - "
"You can see the dead at the Farplane?" Aeris said softly. "But what if the dead don't go there?"
"They become fiends, preying on the living . . . or worse, unsent," she said breathing the last word like a curse. It tore at her insides to think about Auron. He had died ten years before she had ever met him. He was unsent, dead but unwilling to rest.
"Unsent?" Aeris inquired.
"Dead but still here in this plane of existence. I suppose the dead long to go to the Farplane. Auron said that he had spent to much time where he didn't belong. He longed to rest. He . . . he was unsent."
"Longing for rest . . . . " Aeris murmured. "But unable too . . . . " Rikku glanced at her curiously. "Rikku, may I come with you to the 'Farplane'? I would like to see 'Auron'."
Rikku shrugged. "Sure."
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
They talked lightly of many different things along the short road to Guadosalam. Then as the two girls started down the path to the Farplane, Aeris stopped.
"Cloud Strife was his name. He has spiky, blond hair an eyes that glow green. He's an ex-SOLDIER member. I want him to know that I loved him and I want him to have this," she said softly. She held out a white sphere. "It's Holy Materia . . . . " he could use it, I think."
Rikku looked slightly surprised then smiled. "Well, after we find you're spiky haired man you can give it to him!"
Aeris nodded a smiled. "Tell me about Auron," she prompted.
Rikku sighed. "Okay," she said curiously. "He's got short dark hair, streaked with grey. His eyes are chestnut brown - only his right eye is premenately closed due to a scar. He's tall, grumpy, and usually silent. He guarded Lord Braska on his Pilgrimage and my cousin, Yuna, on hers."
"Is there anything you want to tell him?" Aeris prompted.
"Of course, but I can't," Rikku said. "Why do you ask?"
"What do you want to tell him?" Aeris demanded softly.
They were right in front of the rainbow colored barrier to the Farplane. Aeris reached out and barred Rikku's path, her green eyes pleading, but also demanding. "Tell me," the Cetra girl repeated.
"I don't want - "
"Tell me!" Aeris exclaimed.
"That I love him . . . " Rikku finially murmured. "That I wish I could have protected him better. That I could be with him. That that that - " she fell to her knees sobbing.
"I'm sorry, Rikku," Aeris said. "I - " she glanced at the barrier, feeling the pull of the Farplane call to her very soul. She pulled the Holy Maternia out of her pocket and closed the Al Bhed's hand around it. "Cloud lives in Midgar . . . . please tell him that I loved him with all my heart."
Rikku wiped at the tears and tried to smile. "You can tell him yourself - " she started to say.
"Promise?" Aeris asked with a smile. "I'll deliver your message to Auron for you." She helped the younger girl to her feet and offered a small smile. "Promise?"
"Okay, but only if you can't do it yourself," Rikku declared. She put on her brightest face and walked through the barrier, Aeris still holding her hand.
A glimmer of light beside her turned her head. What she saw called a startled gasp to her throat. "Aeris!" she exclaimed.
Pyreflies poured out of the girl's body, dissolving into the Farplane. "You were unsent!" she shouted. There was no reply, except an apologetic smile and the words, 'you promise,' mouthed silently. 'Don't forget . . .' Then the Ancient girl vanished.
For several moments, Rikku didn't move. Then, when she looked up, she saw Aeris floating along the edge. "Unsent," she murmured, her thoughts turning to Auron. As if on cue, the ledgendary guardian appeared.
Tears streaming down her face, she staggered backward, clutching the Holy Maternia tightly. "I'll tell him for you, Aeris . . " she murmured to the Ancient. "I love you always," she added softly to Auron.
Then she departed.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Author's notes: Well, what do you all think? Tell me honestly!
Thanks for reading,
Kissa-chan
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
"Rides the shoopuff?" the swarthy shopuff driver asked in his drawling voice. He looked up expectantly at the blond girl standing before him.
"Yes, I need to get to Guadosalem," Rikku said softly. "There's someone that I need . . . . " she shook her head. "Nevermind."
"Whasss?" the driver drawled.
"Please take me to the other side," Rikku quickly said. She didn't want to swim across the Moonflow. Actually, in all reality, she didn't want to go to Guadosalam either. However, no matter how much she resisted the idea, she knew that the time had finally come. She needed to go to the Farplane and say good-bye to Auron once and for all. It wasn't healthy to keep moping about him.
"Tells mes whens yous are readies," the driver said and started to slowly walk away.
Rikku nodded her head, only half paying attention to him. She closed her eyes, reviewing the horrible feeling that had seized her gut tightly when she had finally learned why Auron had kept his distence in spite of her careful advances. As Yuna Sent him, she had felt a part of herself dissolve. She had felt -
"I need to cross," she heard a girls voice say. Looking up, she spotted a young girl - probably her age. She was standing beside the shoopuff driver and looking completely lost.
"Sorries, but summoners ands their guardians gets firsts priorities," the driver said firmly. "Yous haves to waits with the others."
The girl nodded her head as the driver strolled away from her. Then she fell to her knees, holding her hand over her heart. Rikku raced over to her immedieatly.
"Are you okay?" she asked in concern.
The girl looked up, green eyes unfocused. "I'm lost . . . . I don't even know why I'm here," she managed to say.
Rikku helped her to her feet. "Come on. I'm heading across the Moonflow right now. You can come with me, you know!" It made her feel slightly better to be helping someone. It made her forget about her own troubles and worries.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
"Where are you heading?" the young woman asked.
Rikku glanced up. "To the Farplane . . . . . to visit the one I love," she said simply. She swirly green gaze drifted back to the murky waters and she continued. "What about you? What village are you from?"
"I'm from . . . . the Planet," the young woman murmured. "My name is Aeris. I - Sephiroth he - Well he - " she stopped talking abruptly. "Nevermind," she whispered.
"I'm Rikku! You're from the Planet, huh? Well, I guess I can't press you too much," she said cheerily. "You got a boy back home?" She didn't know what brought the subject up, but once it was there, she couldn't get rid off it.
"I love . . . well I think I do . . . . " Aeris said, her voice trailing off. A look of worry crossed her pretty features.
"I couldn't quite decide either," Rikku said, forcing herself to look at the young girl. "I never really told him, you know. It's just like I assumed her pick up on my signals and tell me - "
"I think he's dating someone else," Aeris explained. "I don't think he really ever and then . . . . Sephiroth . . . . .I just want to tell him so bad. I want to know how he feels about me but - "
Rikku smiled. "You can tell him, you know. What's his name? Where does he live? I'm not doing - "
"You're going to see your man, correct," Aeris interrupted. "Are you going to tell him how you feel?"
"No, he can't hear me where he is. It's more like he's just a memory, you know. My memory. That's what I'm going to visit. He's . . . . ." Rikku paused. "He died, a long time ago."
Both girls looked away, each thinking their own thoughts. Then Rikku switched back to Aeris. "Hey, after I say good-bye I need to find something to do. I could help you find your man - "
Aeris didn't respond. "What's the Farplane?" she asked softly. "It sounds magnetic, like I should be there . . . . . "
Rikku glanced across the water. "See those glowing lights?"
Aeris nodded. "They're beautiful," she noted.
"Well when you die . . . . . " Rikku began, but stopped at the striken look on Aeris' face. "I'm sorry, did I say . . ?"
"No, you're fine. Continue," Aeris whispered, watching the pyreflies in an entraced fashion.
"Right, when you die, you go to the Farplane. It's where the dead live. The pyreflies bring images of them to the surface, so when you see - "
"You can see the dead at the Farplane?" Aeris said softly. "But what if the dead don't go there?"
"They become fiends, preying on the living . . . or worse, unsent," she said breathing the last word like a curse. It tore at her insides to think about Auron. He had died ten years before she had ever met him. He was unsent, dead but unwilling to rest.
"Unsent?" Aeris inquired.
"Dead but still here in this plane of existence. I suppose the dead long to go to the Farplane. Auron said that he had spent to much time where he didn't belong. He longed to rest. He . . . he was unsent."
"Longing for rest . . . . " Aeris murmured. "But unable too . . . . " Rikku glanced at her curiously. "Rikku, may I come with you to the 'Farplane'? I would like to see 'Auron'."
Rikku shrugged. "Sure."
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
They talked lightly of many different things along the short road to Guadosalam. Then as the two girls started down the path to the Farplane, Aeris stopped.
"Cloud Strife was his name. He has spiky, blond hair an eyes that glow green. He's an ex-SOLDIER member. I want him to know that I loved him and I want him to have this," she said softly. She held out a white sphere. "It's Holy Materia . . . . " he could use it, I think."
Rikku looked slightly surprised then smiled. "Well, after we find you're spiky haired man you can give it to him!"
Aeris nodded a smiled. "Tell me about Auron," she prompted.
Rikku sighed. "Okay," she said curiously. "He's got short dark hair, streaked with grey. His eyes are chestnut brown - only his right eye is premenately closed due to a scar. He's tall, grumpy, and usually silent. He guarded Lord Braska on his Pilgrimage and my cousin, Yuna, on hers."
"Is there anything you want to tell him?" Aeris prompted.
"Of course, but I can't," Rikku said. "Why do you ask?"
"What do you want to tell him?" Aeris demanded softly.
They were right in front of the rainbow colored barrier to the Farplane. Aeris reached out and barred Rikku's path, her green eyes pleading, but also demanding. "Tell me," the Cetra girl repeated.
"I don't want - "
"Tell me!" Aeris exclaimed.
"That I love him . . . " Rikku finially murmured. "That I wish I could have protected him better. That I could be with him. That that that - " she fell to her knees sobbing.
"I'm sorry, Rikku," Aeris said. "I - " she glanced at the barrier, feeling the pull of the Farplane call to her very soul. She pulled the Holy Maternia out of her pocket and closed the Al Bhed's hand around it. "Cloud lives in Midgar . . . . please tell him that I loved him with all my heart."
Rikku wiped at the tears and tried to smile. "You can tell him yourself - " she started to say.
"Promise?" Aeris asked with a smile. "I'll deliver your message to Auron for you." She helped the younger girl to her feet and offered a small smile. "Promise?"
"Okay, but only if you can't do it yourself," Rikku declared. She put on her brightest face and walked through the barrier, Aeris still holding her hand.
A glimmer of light beside her turned her head. What she saw called a startled gasp to her throat. "Aeris!" she exclaimed.
Pyreflies poured out of the girl's body, dissolving into the Farplane. "You were unsent!" she shouted. There was no reply, except an apologetic smile and the words, 'you promise,' mouthed silently. 'Don't forget . . .' Then the Ancient girl vanished.
For several moments, Rikku didn't move. Then, when she looked up, she saw Aeris floating along the edge. "Unsent," she murmured, her thoughts turning to Auron. As if on cue, the ledgendary guardian appeared.
Tears streaming down her face, she staggered backward, clutching the Holy Maternia tightly. "I'll tell him for you, Aeris . . " she murmured to the Ancient. "I love you always," she added softly to Auron.
Then she departed.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Author's notes: Well, what do you all think? Tell me honestly!
Thanks for reading,
Kissa-chan