Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ A Secret Journey (Rikku's Story) ❯ Chapter nine ( Chapter 9 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Title: A Secret Journey (Rikku's Story)


Summary: The story of the pilgrimage told in Rikku's words, and what she learns on the way.
Classification: FFX fic, AU, Rikku/Auron relationship, story, romance
Rating: PG13, higher rating (up to R) for future instalments
Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to Squaresoft, but the story
is mine. (actually Rikku's, but you know what I mean. : )

Author's note: Rikku is an Al Bhed and sometimes her narrative slips into her native tongue. For this reason I am also including an Al Bhed primer at the end of each part, with
translations of the terms used.

I have populated the desert of Sanubia with plants and animals from our own
world, simply translating their names into Al Bhed. This is done to give
local colour and improve the tone of the narrative.

Feedback is welcomed at tuatha@coastalnet.com.au



A Secret Journey (Rikku's Story)

Part Nine


The desert was a much more pleasant place to be during the night, the stars
glowed brilliantly above, and the sands were warm enough to counteract the
chill of the night air. It could get very cold early in the morning, but I
planned to set up camp just before dawn so we could sleep before the day got
too hot.

We walked pretty much in single file, quietly, as I was worried that we
might come across other Al Bhed and that could prove difficult to resolve
without resorting to violence. I wanted to avoid that at all costs.

I was using Al Na'ir as our guide, and I instructed the others how to locate
the star and steer by it, so I didn't have to be constantly in the lead. The
dunes were close packed here and fairly easy to navigate, but it was still
hard work for anyone not used to it. When Tidus unpacked one of his water
bottles and began to drink from it deeply I ran over to stop him.

"Tidus, no." He stopped, surprised by my warning. "You mustn't drink too
much now. If you have to drink, only take enough to moisten your mouth. The
rest needs to be saved till morning."

"Why? We're carrying plenty of water, you said so before."

I wasn't sure how to explain it. There was a saying of my people, which I
told them. "You must keep your water in its skin."

Everyone stared at me blankly, and I found myself unable to think of a way
to tell them what they needed to know. I felt my face growing hot then spat
out some words in my own language, defeated by the impossibility of saying
it politely. Auron harrumphed, the first sign of humour I'd heard from him
since before we'd entered Macalania temple.

I ran away, and waited at the top of the next dune, but before I did I heard
Wakka ask in a wondering tone "Did she just swear at us?".

After a moment Lulu came up to me, and put her arms around me. "Sir Auron
said you would explain anything I needed to know."

"Oh. okay. Ummm...if you need to go to the bathroom...you know, you have to
wait..as long as you can." It was strange how much easier it was when it was
another girl, my grasp of the language returned as if it had never failed
me.

We continued soon after, and I kept moving forward to avoid being near
enough to converse with the others but of course Auron found a way. Kimahri
loped up to me. "Sir Auron asks: to speak to Rikku now."

"Okay" I squeaked back. I couldn't hope to ignore his summons, so I faced
the music. When I fell in step with him he did not look my way. "I explained
to the others. About the desert beasts that do not piss their water away in
the sand."

His tone sounded vaguely amused by the topic, but I was miserable because of
my failure. "Do not worry. I told them to consider your advice an order from
me. They will do as you say."

I nodded my thanks. We walked in silence for a time.

"Rikku, you couldn't begin to understand how sorry I am..."

I shook my head. It was all my fault but it was typical of him that he tried
to shoulder all the responsibility anyway. I fought back my tears. I was
giving him up, not for the reasons he'd given me, but because I'd put my
feelings ahead of his, and refused to let him go when he'd all but begged me
to. But he didn't need to know how weak I was still, despite knowing it was
the right thing to do.

After a short silence all he said was "It's for the best."

My voice was hoarse and low when I replied. "I know."

After that we both avoided each other for the rest of the night.

We had not travelled as far as I had hoped we would. It got cooler in the
latter stages of the night, but everyone except Kimahri tired quickly and
our paced had slowed considerably. I wasn't worried too much. We would still
make it to the next cache of water before the second morning, so as soon as
it was light enough I began looking for a good place to set up our camp.

When I found a place I began to dig at the base of the dune. Tidus helped
me, and then we set up the tent. We would get several hours of shade, well
into mid-morning. After we ate a little of the food and some water I
provided some further advice. "Everyone, you should try to keep at least two
bottles of your water till this evening. Drink as much as you like of the
rest during the day. If you go outside or move around you need to keep
below the level of the sand dunes, since we don't want a bunch of scouts
descending on us."

I thought that was everything I needed to cover. "We should all try to sleep
now while it's cool enough. It would be a good idea to strip down so you can
sleep longer, it will get too hot otherwise."

Kimahri declined and said he would keep watch. It was unlikely that fiends
would find us while we rested during the day, but still a possibility. I
think the Ronso were able to sleep standing up, part of their minds
completely at ease, but still instantly aware of everything within range of
their senses at need. It explained how he was able to guard Yuna night after
night but still be able to travel on the pilgrimage by day. Or the reverse
under present circumstances.

The others followed my advice and were soon lying down, but Auron sat still,
staring out of the tent flap at the bright ochre sand, the cerulean sky. I
knelt beside him, my hands curled palm up in my lap like a supplicant. I
kept my gaze and my voice lowered. "Sir Auron, your armour..."

I spoke in a low tone, not wanting the others to hear my question. There
were so many things none of us spoke of during that journey. Like the final
aeon and what would happen if we defeated Sin. And Tidus's devotion to Yuna.
It was too painful to put into words. This was another. Everyone could tell
there was something wrong with him, the way Auron held himself, his arm at
his side. The pain he hid, but which infrequently escaped him. During a
battle his will was strong enough to overcome his injury, but afterwards he
would be drained and edgy. It was something that none of us asked about
because we knew he didn't want us to. We all wanted to avoid pity, and Auron
was no exception. It was a common trait among the people of Spira.

I hadn't really expected a reply, so after a moment I rose and found a spot
for myself near the wall. First I took my own advice. I had a bikini which
I'd donned the day before in preparation for my aborted search. Now I turned
my back on the others and stripped off my top. My shorts followed and I
stretched out on my stomach.

The others all settled in, and it became quiet. I was glad that Kimahri had
stayed outside, the little tent was crowded as it was. I closed my eyes, but
after a few minutes Auron spoke to me quietly. "Rikku. E haat ouin ramb."

I turned to see him still sitting in the same place, but his armour was
unfastened on his right shoulder. I knelt once more beside him. "You have to
tell Kimahri, that I have no armour, and if fiends come he and the others
will have to fight alone while you help me." I nodded and looked outside. I
couldn't see the Ronso, but I whispered his name. Within moments he returned
and came over to me. I quietly repeated Auron's message, and he stared at me
impassively while I spoke, then loped away as quietly as he'd come.

I returned to Auron, and began to unfasten the other shoulder and side,
still averting my gaze from his face. He kept his arm held against his side
firmly. "Pull it free." I did so, sliding the material sideways. Then I
gasped at what I saw. He had several scars on his chest, but the worst was a
gash that ran down his right side, following the line of the scar on his
face. It began just below the level of his breastbone and did not trail off
until it almost reached his hip, becoming a shallow sickle at the lower end.
Scar tissue formed a wide furrow over his ribs and it appeared that most, of
not all of them had been severed and crushed by whatever hit him. It made me
want to weep. I couldn't help myself from looking at his face. His head was
bowed, his brows drawn together in concentration. I wanted to reach out and
touch him, with everything in my heart. I wanted to take him in my arms and
never let him go. Instead I sat with my arms extended, feeling frozen and
sick at heart. He moved carefully, lying down with effort and closing his
eyes. I crawled back to my place next to his and closed my eyes again. After
everything, he had shown me all his weaknesses. He trusted me to see him as
he was, and to lie beside him, and to protect him. It was an honour I felt
unworthy of, but I wanted to deserve it with all my might. After that it
took me a long time to finally fall asleep.

I don't know if he slept at all. His hand squeezed my wrist, and my eyes
opened. When I turned he was levering himself upright, and I guessed he
wanted to cover himself before the others stirred. I looked across and Tidus
was kicking slightly in his sleep. I wondered if he was dreaming of
blitzball.

I quietly picked up the pieces of reinforced fabric and began to help him
refasten them. We didn't need words, we still had this understanding between
us. It must have taken enormous effort from him because once we were done he
didn't try to hide his exhaustion, lying down again.

I whispered "Did you sleep?"

"A little." was his reply.

I guessed that to mean not at all. My waterbottle was close by, so I sat up
and poured a little water into my hands. "Try now then. I'll watch." I
stroked his brow and temples with the cooling water, running my fingers
through his hair several times, and it seemed to ease his pain and he dozed
off for a while.

The others woke one by one. Lulu first, and she muttered something
incomprehensible then sat up. When she looked our way I stared back
impassively, daring her to make something of the fact that I sat crosslegged
beside Auron and was stroking his hair while he slept.

It was a tactic I used successfully several times more, and we all sat
quietly, thinking our own thoughts and quietly sipping water. Everyone else
left the tent for short periods, but soon returned to avoid the sun and heat
outside. When Auron woke I moved away, not wanting to feel that I'd stolen
the chance to touch him while he slept, but afraid he would think so and
push me away again if he knew.

Wakka and Tidus talked for a little while about blitzball again. They liked
to plan strategies, plays that were tailored against one or another of the
other teams, and their talk became quite technical at times, but I don't
think either of them had their hearts truly in it today, their talk petered
out.

After a short silence Wakka asked "You think Yuna's alright?"

"Yes." I wasn't sure how much to tell them. "A scouting party would have
found her and taken her to Home."

"Are you sure? She's not lying in the desert somewhere?"

I explained. "If she was moving around during the day my people would see
her. Remember I saw you first that day, but the tent is the same colour as
the sand, and you didn't see me until I moved. The Al Bhed move at night,
and we watch during the day. Yuna would have been spotted from miles away.
We would be too, but we're at the bottom of a dune, and keeping still."

After that the afternoon droned on slowly. I kept nodding off, then coming
to with a start. Occasionally someone would start a topic of conversation,
but no one inclined much to finish one and we trailed off into silence
several times.

Finally the sun cleared the edge of the dunes, and I set out our food. Wakka
went to fetch Kimahri, and when they returned we ate. We were ready to move
again as soon as the sun had reached the horizon. Making an early start
meant we could reach the next cache, and then make camp shortly afterwards.
We all needed more rest than this morning, and I thought we could still get
to Home by the third morning, even if we had to walk through part of the
day.


End Of Part Nine


Al Bhed primer and translation guide:

E haat ouin ramb = I need your help

A = E
B = P
C = S
D = T
E = I
F = W
G = K
H = N
I = U
J = V
K = G
L = C
M = L
N = R
O = Y
P = B
Q = Z
R = H
S = M
T = D
U = O
V = F
W = X
X = Q
Y = A
Z = J

tua
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