Love Her and Despair (25)

[auronlu]

Title: Love Her and Despair
Chapter 25: "Family Matters"
Final Fantasy X/X-2
Characters: Isaaru, Nooj, Auron, Rikku/Wakka, Cast
Rating: PG
Word Count: 3100
Summary: Nooj explains about Shuyin and Vegnagun. Rikku calls Wakka to tell him what's happened.
Navigation: Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
Map of Pilgrimage - Links to All Chapters

Our Story So Far: Back on pilgrimage, Summoner Isaaru pays a visit to the Al Bhed, only to be shot when Elder Cid goes berserk and takes off in his airship. Isaaru, guardians and allies hitch a ride on Gippal's freighter to give chase.

---

The three men squinted as they emerged into the bright sunshine of the flight deck. The ocean raced by beneath them, a great hammered mirror of pink and gold. On the horizon, a star that was no star flared as Gippal made a slight course adjustment.

Elma and Isaaru parted at the sound of the doors opening behind them. The Crusader flinched at the hiss of pneumatics. Isaaru, more acclimated to Al Bhed technology, simply turned to inspect Maroda and Auron for damage.

"What's our status?" Auron said.

"Hurry-hurry-he's-getting-away-and-this-bucket-can't-go-any-faster-rific," Rikku said, fidgeting on her feet next to Shinra, who was bent over the navigation console.

At his elbow floated the blue sphere of the scanner, displaying outlines of islands and two yellow dots creeping across its surface. Ignoring it, he was paging through a display screen. "The Fahrenheit is eighty miles ahead, bearing north-northeast. Cid's outrunning us, but we should be able to monitor him."

"Take over for me, Rikku," Gippal said, hopping down from the pilot's seat and jogging back to relieve Auron of his burden. "Thanks, old man. I was beginning to wonder if you'd had a heart attack hauling him up here."

The Al Bhed slipped under Nooj's arm, catching Maroda's eye and jerking his chin towards the nose of the cockpit. Together they guided Nooj to the ops station and strapped him in. A tense semaphore unfolded between old friends: Gippal's gestures zealously casual, Nooj politely impassive, distancing himself from the men manipulating his limbs.

"Nice spread," he said, eying the four stations that seemed to be soaring through the sky in formation.

"Didn't quite turn out the way we'd planned, did it?" Gippal said. He jabbed a thumb towards the seat where Rikku was perched. "That's yours once Shinra's fixed you up, Nooj."

"You'd make me the pilot?" His mouth tightened. "What about Paine?"

"Well, I reckon she'll want the gunner's station." Gippal smiled. "She's alive, Nooj. I haven't seen 'er in years, but Baralai says she's okay. I was kinda afraid to tell you."

"Thanks. I was afraid to ask, for fear I might—" He stopped, shook his head. "But that's in the past. Once this is over, I'm going to look for her."

Gippal grinned. "You still have a death wish, man. So... you gonna explain what this is all about? And give me some reason to stop watchin' my back every time I check up on you?"

"And here I thought you were being naive," Nooj said. "But first, let me apologize. To you and to Shinra. And to you also, Rikku. I fear your father's in for a rough time."

"But what's happened to him?" she said, waving her hands. "I didn't think psycho-Noojie-vibes were catching!"

"Not that, at least. Your father has been possessed by Shuyin, a man from Zanarkand killed in the machina wars a thousand years ago, whose soul still cries out for vengeance."

"A ghost?" Rikku said.

"Unsent," Auron said.

"And apparently with a taste for melodrama," said Gippal. "No wonder it hung out with you, Nooj."

"Shut it."

"So what's Vegnagun?" Maroda said. "Another unsent?"

"Let me start at the beginning." Nooj's expression hardened, eyes locking with Isaaru's. "Thirteen years ago, just before the last Calm, Yevon hatched an ingenious way to rid itself of undesirables: Operation Mi'ihen."

"For which we are still atoning," Isaaru said, resting a hand on Elma's shoulder. The woman's hands had balled into fists.

Nooj's eyes flicked to the Crusader, measuring. "You know of the Crimson Squad, then."

"We've...heard the name," Isaaru said, compassion coloring his quiet voice. "I do not know the whole tale, but it is a shadow which haunts Maester Baralai. I gather his whole squadron was massacred, and he holds Yevon responsible. You were there?"

Nooj nodded. "Baralai, Gippal and I were on the same team. The Crimson Squad was an elite corps trained to assume command of Crusader lodges."

"What?" Elma bristled. "We had excellent officers. It was the maesters who were incompetent!"

"Incompetent, or corrupt?" Nooj said. "Yevon wanted to break you, then control you. I suspect our mission's true purpose was simply to eliminate those who did not fit Yevon's mold." Again he stared at Isaaru, a note of challenge in his voice. "Like the pilgrimage."

"Jackasses," Gippal said under his breath.

Rikku jiggled impatiently. "Um, I get that you guys hate Yevon and all, but what's this got to do with Pops?"

"I'm getting there," Nooj said. "On our last training mission, we were assigned to explore the catacombs under Mushroom Ridge. That's where the entire Crimson Squad was cut down... by one another."

"What?" Isaaru paled. "In Yevon's name—"

"In Yevon's name," Nooj shot back, "we were pitted against an unsent with the power to drive us mad. And Yevon furnished us with machina weapons to make us more lethal than fiends."

Elma groaned and turned away to press her palms against curving glass. "Maybe the Cult of Sin's right. At least they know their god's out to get them."

Auron gave her a wry look.

"All those pyreflies...that was Shuyin?" Gippal hooked his hands in his suspenders, chewing on Nooj's words. "I remember, back in that cave, it felt like somebody else's feelings came crashing over me. I always figured that's what made you short out, Nooj, but I could never work out what the heck it was."

"Shuyin," Nooj said. "An unsent so obsessed with revenge that it's kept him from becoming a fiend for a thousand years. Or rather, he's become something worse."

"Damn," Maroda said. "How did you three survive?"

"Four." Nooj's eyes went distant. "We almost didn't. Paine— the sphere recorder assigned to monitor our team— stopped us from shooting each other. But it was too late. Shuyin had already claimed me, although I didn't realize it then. By the time I became aware of him, I was too weak-willed to fight him off."

"C'mon, Nooj," Gippal said. "It's not like Elder Cid's a pushover. Seems to me this Shuyin guy targets major buttheads."

"Not quite," Nooj said. "Shuyin feeds on anger and despair."

Rikku drummed her fingertips on the steering yoke. "Pops was pretty pissed, with Home getting blown up and all. D'you think Shuyin would let him go if we could, y'know, cheer him up?"

Nooj laughed. "It won't be that easy. I'm afraid the best way may be to fight your father, disable him, and present Shuyin with another host. Someone expendable."

"I'm not liking where this is going, Nooj," Gippal said.

Auron watched the exchange impassively. "What about Vegnagun?"

"A doomsday weapon built by Bevelle, which Sin— contrary to the fairy tales we're fed in temple— was summoned to counter. Bevelle demanded unconditional surrender, threatening to use its ultimate weapon. Zanarkard's ruler responded by unleashing Sin as a final, suicidal act of defiance. That ruler was named...Yevon."

"Yu Yevon," Isaaru corrected gently.

Elma sighed. "Not this again."

"You knew?" Nooj's eyes narrowed. "That's right. You're a maester."

"I did not know," Isaaru said, "although I had begun to piece together clues from the archives. Sir Auron confirmed my suspicions about Yu Yevon and Sin—"

Maroda snorted.

"—but this is the first we've heard of Vegnagun."

"For thirteen years, Shuyin has searched for it," Nooj said. "There's no sign of it under Lightning Mushroom Rock, in the hidden base where it was constructed. But he is convinced it still exists. He means to use Vegnagun to avenge himself and the woman he loved, shot down by Bevelle's soldiers."

"It's in Bevelle," Shinra said, getting up and moving to the ops station next to Nooj. "Beneath the Tower of Light."

"Under the temple?" Maroda said, staring. "No way."

Nooj chuckled. "I see I wasn't the only one with secrets. Well done, Shinra."

"Don't look at me." He drew out a sphere and slotted it into the console. A display activated beside it. "Baralai sent Cid all his notes on Vegnagun about two weeks ago. He asked us to help him find a way to disable it." Nooj leaned forward to look.

"So that's what Baralai's been hiding," Isaaru said, exchanging glances with his brother. "A pity he could not trust us in this matter."

"And now Shuyin knows what Cid knows," Nooj said. He gestured towards the navigation scanner. "He's heading to Bevelle. Count on it. If we don't stop him before he reaches Vegnagun, Sin won't find anything left to destroy."

"Maybe we don't want to disable it, though," Maroda said slowly. "Maybe we could use it to fight Sin...without anyone getting killed."

"Except Lulu," Rikku said, giving Auron a pleading look.

"Are you crazy?" Elma said. "Even if the teachings are a great steaming pile of chocobo chips, we shouldn't be messing with machina we don't understand! Baralai probably kept this to himself to make sure nobody was stupid enough to try."

"First things first," Rikku said. "If an Al Bhed ship shows up in Bevelle, they're gonna super-freak. And Shuyin might start shooting people if they get in the way, right? So we could have an Al Bhed-Yevon war on our hands! Shinra, can you contact Maester Baralai?"

"Negative. He and Cid communicated by courier."

"That'd be me," Gippal said. "And we're already pushing this rig as fast as it'll go. Cid's a tough guy, Rikku. Hopefully Bevelle's defenses can keep him occupied until we catch up with him."

"I will vouch for you to the other maesters," Isaaru said. "My colleagues have no wish for conflict between our peoples. Shelinda does not trust the Al Bhed, but Baralai does."

"Or did," Nooj said.

"Yeah." Rikku sighed. "Well, anyway, I can knock Pops out with a nightcap when we find him. If it worked on Sir Grumpypants, it'll work on anybody."

"That still leaves Shuyin," Nooj said.

"If he's an unsent," Auron said, "he can be sent."

Isaaru turned to him, a smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. "Are you sure about that, my friend?"

"You're not much of a summoner," Auron said. "But you've performed more sendings than anyone in Spira."

"He has a point, actually," Maroda said, suddenly subdued.

Isaaru gave his brother a warning glance. "Indeed."

"Sounds like a plan." Nooj said. "Assuming any of us survives this, we can argue over what to do with Vegnagun afterwards. If Cid's attack doesn't start a war, that just may."

With many hours before they reached Bevelle, there was nothing to do but secure a meal— requiring some haggling with the ship's captain— and snatch what rest they could. Before turning in, the Crusaders retired to the ship's hold to spar. Elma said she needed to punch something the captain wouldn't charge for breaking, and Maroda had rashly volunteered. Gippal, meanwhile, had taken Nooj and Shinra down to his onboard machine shop to jury-rig something for Nooj's artificial leg. That left Isaaru to meditate in the relative peace of the flight deck. He stood by the navigator's station, staring out at the sky with hands folded and eyes half-closed.

Rikku, down at the ops station now that Gippal had activated the autopilot, waved Auron over. "Hey, Auron. Keep an eye on the scanner, will ya? Make sure Pops doesn't stop off in Luca for take-out. I gotta make a call."

Auron came forward, watching the two lights inching over the scanner's sphere. They were flying over open ocean now, with Bikanel creeping past on their left.

Rikku fussed over the controls, muttering about Wakka leaving the sphere off the charger again. Eventually, the forward windows turned semi-opaque, projecting an image of Rikku's living room. The view shook violently, covered for a moment by a large hand setting the sphere on its stand. Then the picture stabilized to reveal Wakka sitting on the floor, three of the children clambering over him, and a pair of bare feet just visible in the window behind them.

"Hey, Rikku! We were gettin' worried. What's up?"

"We are," Rikku said, eliciting squeaks of laughter from the children. "Bad news, Wakka. You know how Nooj kept going on the fritz? He's given it to Pops."

"Huh?" Wakka leaned forward, peering anxiously. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Pops shot things up, but we're all fine. He took off on the Fahrenheit. We're going after him."

"Can't your brother go?" He frowned. "And what are they still doin' there?"

"Pops is headed for Bevelle, so we're giving them a ride. He's got a huge head start, Wakka. The Celsius would never catch up. Anyway, Brother's a doofus. He'd totally screw this up."

"But--"

"Etta ate some kak-tar seeds!" the youngest girl interrupted. "He's gonna be a kak-tar!"

The feet in the window behind her wiggled. "Zap zap zap!"

"Then Mum's gonna have to give him tummy-medicine when she gets back," Rikku said.

"Told ya," said Vidina, sprawled across his father's legs.

"Wakka," Rikku said. "We can handle it. Long story, but basically...some crazy unsent has been riding around in Nooj's head like a big fat flea. A ghost flea. Now it's jumped to Pops. We're trying to catch up to him so the summoner can send the ghost and de-Nooj-ify Pops."

"Oh," Wakka said, nonplussed. The chatter of the children rained around him while he digested this. Finally, he nodded. "Yeah, you gotta take care o' your dad. You be real careful, ya?"

"Promise." She winked. "I'll stand behind Auron, okay?"

"Right. Just as long as he's not takin' on somethin' you shouldn't."

"Is Auron there?" Yunie said. All that could be seen of the child was a thistle-top of orange hair sticking up behind Wakka's shoulder.

Auron moved over to stand behind Rikku. "I'm here."

Yunie peeked around her father shyly. "The Lady says she's gonna go talk to the birds and the bees. After that, she's gonna go visit the dragon boy. But you'd better hurry up, 'cause she's running out of ice cream."

The corners of Auron's mouth twitched. "Understood," he said, after a moment's pause. "Thank you, Yuna."

"Okay!" she said, diving out of sight again.

Wakka folded his arms, his glare magnified to alarming proportions by the ship's forward projectors.

"Kids," Rikku said, "Mummy loves you tons, but I've gotta be gone a few days to help Pop-pops. You listen to Dad and pitch in with chores, okay?"

A chorus of mumbles seemed to satisfy her.

"Rikku, Wakka said, cheeks reddening. "I love you lots and lots. Come back soon, ya?"

"I love you too, hon," she said. "Try not to worry too much." She cut the connection and leaned back, slumping after the image of her family had been replaced by empty sky.

"'The birds and the bees'?" Isaaru echoed.

"Remiem Temple," Auron said.

"Oh!" Rikku said. "The chocobos and those weird bug sisters."

"And then to Bevelle, no?" Isaaru said. "I suppose your friend is sending us what warning she can, without alarming the child."

"Or alerting Yu Yevon."

The summoner's brows lifted. "I see. Then we must use the time she has given us wisely. So, what is your counsel? Is Vegnagun the answer?"

"It will have to be," Auron said. "Once the aeons are gone, there will be nothing left to stop her."

"Auron!" Rikku said, swiveling in her chair. "Lulu's family too, y'know? You can't just give up on her!"

"I haven't." Auron lowered his gaze, meeting Rikku's pleading eyes. Without the armor of his glasses, the haunted strain in his face was easier to see. "Rikku. Understand this. I guard Lord Isaaru. But Lulu guides our pilgrimage, just as she guided Yuna. She knows more of Sin and Yu Yevon than anyone. We have to solve the puzzle she's set for us."

"Are you certain it's your friend, not Sin's master, who steers her course now?" Isaaru asked gently. "The Lady is a prisoner, just as Nooj was. Who knows what part of her mind remains her own, after thirteen years?"

"That message did not come from Yu Yevon," Auron said stiffly.

"Yeah, maybe," Rikku put in, "but that doesn't mean she wants you to go chasing after Sin with a whopping thousand-year-old machina. Betcha you're a worse driver than she is."

"Her story can't end here, Rikku." Auron turned back to the window. "We have to free her...one way or another."

"You know, maybe Maroda was right about you two, kinda," Rikku said, tapping her teeth thoughtfully. "You and Lulu were always on the same wavelength: grump point cynic two five. But you were so busy being bad-ass know-it-all uber-guardians that you never stopped to realize there's more to life than boom and smash and self-sacrifice. It's too bad. You two would've absolutely owned Spira's Hottest Celebrity Couples spherecast."

"Hmph." At least Yunalesca had spared them that annoyance.

"Auron." Rikku cocked her head with that same focused look she got just before darting in to disable a machina. "You miss her too, don't you?"

He stared past Rikku's scrutiny to a horizon that was darkening to lavender. He had never been sentimental about sunsets, but the shade was a reminder of other things he had not permitted himself to be sentimental about. Almost he yielded to Rikku's strategic pestering. Whatever answer he might have given, however, was curtailed by the presence of the summoner behind them.

"We'll get her back, Auron. Pops first, then Lulu. I know we will." Rikku reached out to pat his bare hand. "I promise."

---

Next Chapter: On the Brink

---

Comments

[owlmoose.livejournal.com]

Good summation! And I like the idea that Sin was created specifically as a counter to Vegnagun. And the way you posit a continuing relationship between Gippal and Baralai.

"Maybe the Cult of Sin's right. At least they know their god's out to get them."

Snerk.

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

Hopefully it wasn't too plodding, but there was no way around the Buckets o' Exposition, unless I wanted to sum it up as "And then Nooj told them all about Shuyin and Vegnagun.")

Elma keeps coming to my rescue as the Voice of an Ordinary Yevonite.

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

Note: took your advice and moved part 2 of this chapter back here. I had it here originally.

Hopefully nobody lost it; it's the better part of the scene, being backstory instead of buckets o' Exposition.

[muggy-mountain.livejournal.com]

*Drive-by comment of random*

No idea why, but whenever I see that icon, I always think I'm seeing this:

http://www.colorado.edu/Sewall/kit/Archeological%20Reminiscence%20Millet%27s%20Angelus%20(Salvidor%20Dali).jpg

...maybe it's the colors?

[heaven-monument.livejournal.com]

*followed on from ff_press*

Ahem. So. So I finally got around to reading this, from the beginning. And HOLY CRAP IT'S BRILLIANT.

This is, hands down, the best AU I've ever read. No ifs, nor buts. Your spelling and grammar are flawless, your style is so easy to drink in, and the little pieces of the puzzle you reveal with every event is juuuust enough to keep me hooked. Characterisation is excellent - Auron, Gippal and Isaaru are standouts for clarity and canon-ness. Although I must admit, Gippal's overuse of "Sunshine" as a pet name for Rikku gets grating after a while.

Also, sometimes your use of epithets is heavyhanded.

However, the one thing that keeps me reading this is the incredible togetherness of the plot. No holes in the storyline, at all - which is something I personally am horrible at. Right now, I'm horribly stuck with an FFXII story because I don't know how to tie up all the loose ends before I continue with the main plot... but that's another story.

Overall, you have yourself a very satisfied reader and I'll definitely be coming back for more.

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you, thank you!

A new reader! Huzzah! It's a double blessing, as the old FFX writers have largely wandered to pastures new, while I still plod along.

Concrit of someone who's not used to my usual writing foibles and thus they jump out like a sore thumb!

And the plot is working!

It's odd. I specialized in vignettes and one-shots for years. My writing skills have atrophied somewhat -- or else I'm just biting off more than I usually chew -- but the plot is carrying it along even when the dialog goes thud.

Re: your specific comments.
In epithets, I assume you mean my habit of swapping names for brief descriptives, not the swearing by a few folks. Bad fanfic habit #24241, eh?
Gippal's nicknames: You know, you're absolutely right. He calls Paine both "Paine" and "Dr. P." doesn't he? So it does look odd for him to be using a nickname for Rikku all that time. I shall keep that in mind if/when I go back and tidy old chapters.

[heaven-monument.livejournal.com]

STOP EDITING YOUR COMMENTS ALREADY! >.<

...:D?

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

*dies*
Sorry. :D

I really, really, really should use a spare window before hitting post.

[muggy-mountain.livejournal.com]

Aggh. You're really bent on getting me to replay X-2, aren't you?

I really appreciate how you're bringing in the more intriguing aspects of the sequel without the ...giddier parts. It further grounds us in Spira, propels the plot and provides some serious foreshadowing. It's too bad Yuna had to die for it, but.

Just...brilliant.

It continues to be thrilling, and I continue to be thrilled.

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

As an alternative to replaying X-2, which makes it even harder to find good chunks of the Crimson Squad backstory than FFX did the Jecht Spheres, you might fritter time re-watching all the Crimson Squad related plot on this website (http://nightfall.fourhobbits.net/) which owlmoose pointed out to me.

That's not just the sphere recordings; it follows all the scenes with Gippal, Baralai and Nooj, plus Paine talking about them. (There's a delightful irked Lucil bawling Nooj out offscreen, I notice).

[first-seventhe.livejournal.com]

I continue to want more and more and more of this story.

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

So do I, thankfully!
I am so pleased there's still a few folks about who are bearing with me as I come and go.

This is, as usual, wonderful!

[vandevere.livejournal.com]

In the first place, I love your writing, and I also love the characters you write about. Win/win in my opinion...

So, as I mentioned in my ff.net review of this chapter, I've never played FFX-2. It didn't have Auron in it, so I wasn't really interested. So, your explanations were a welcome relief.

As for Shuyin, I wonder...

Can once Unsent posses another Unsent? I'm just a little worried about Auron right now...

Vandevere

Re: This is, as usual, wonderful!

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

Phew! I'm glad you were able to follow the plot, despite all these extras from X-2.

There's actually a tiny smidgen of Auron in X-2, but if you don't play out this long elaborate mystery sidequest, you'll never get it. There's a sphere recording filling in where Auron was in FFX when Sin dropped everyone off in the desert. Evidently he found Gippal before he caught up with the rest of the party. It's short, but pure Auron: YouTube Recording -- jump to 5:00 to get to the Auron & Gippal scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUDpA3ersKo).

As for one unsent possessing another, I really don't know, any more than I know whether Auron could become a Final Aeon. The only clue I've got is that when Jsycal came out of the Farplane gates in FFX, Auron started swatting at pyreflies and collapsed in obvious pain (he was in back; everyone else was watching Jyscal and apparently didn't notice). But Yuna was sending Jyscal at that point, so he may simply have been fighting the sending. Auron probably has to grit his teeth and hang on with his fingernails every time someone does a sending near him.

I guess in a way, the fayth are like unsent spirits, and Yu Yevon could possess them. So... probably. But canon doesn't explore anything quite that twisted. :)

[mandyiam.livejournal.com]

Fantastic chapter!

Elma looks to be hanging in there even though she seems about ready to burst and take some matters into her own hands. Isaaru made a good point about Lulu. I wouldn't be surprised if it is not her that is steering/helping their course.

I can't wait to see the events when they finally reach Cid.

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

I wish I had more for Elma to do. There's SO many good characters in FFX, and I'm insane to be using so many of them.

As for Lulu -- every time Auron's talked to her so far, she's given a totally different message. (It's been so long I have to go back and look myself, but I'm quite sure she told him she's destroying all the temples to punish Yevon for what they did to Yuna...and him... and everyone they love.
But there were a few hints she was saying something other than what she was saying, even then.

A long time ago, when owlmoose asked how Mika had stepped down in this timeline, I realized that Isaaru was keeping secrets. And Auron, of course, is keeping secrets. That led to the idea that EVERYBODY, or almost everyone, has something to hide, and is speaking in riddles and half-truths the way Auron once did. Even Elma has her little secret, although it's neither earth-shattering nor very secret. ;)

[raistlynn.livejournal.com]

This is absolutely wonderful! And you're right, most other FF10 writers are gone. I love this pairing, and Auron is extremely well written!

[cumuluscastle.livejournal.com]

The reference to Nooj as "the pilot" (ie. the Captain) is a good one. Nooj as conspiracy theorist is brilliant and I love the idea he has that part of the pilgrimage's purpose was getting rid of rabble-rousers. From what we've seen, it is consistently an odd lot who go in for pilgrimages.

Oh god, no fear on you not being able to write Nooj. I love his plan to get rid of Shuyin, "someone expendable" indeed. That is just what he'd come up with. I also love his concept that Sin is a summons to defeat Vegnagun.

I quite enjoy how Auron is getting even more crusty in his old age, the way he insults and praises Isaaru simultaneously about his experience with sendings.

I like little Yuna's silly references to the fayth.

"strategic pestering," heh.

The exposition in this chapter is offset enough by Nooj's interesting theories about Yevon to keep me curious. It helps that you kept all of the characters in their voices as well. You're good at keeping them all distinct, the hallmark of an excellent writer.

typo:
-"And now Shuyin knows what Cid knows," Nooj said. He ponted at the sphere floating above Shinra's console.
-Missed the i in pointed

[auronlu.livejournal.com]

This chapter was hell. Buckets o' Exposition, as the writer of Babylon 5 says, trying to juggle dialog between a ton of characters.

Yay nitpicking!

*goes to correct*

I wonder why I failed to notice the underline on that one.

[trekqueen.livejournal.com]

there's only so much Rikku that anyone, even Auron, can resist. Gotta give it to her, she's persistent. Now the plan is laid, the game is set.... what is Shuyin and Lulu up to... ^_^