Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Place in Time: Fantasy Befallen ❯ Memory is History ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

A/N: First of all a brief thanks to all of my reviewers. I can understand a bit why someone could see Rikku as a bit un-Rikku so far in this story; she's not the peppy girl she once was. I don't want to say I'm out to change her image entirely with this story, but I wanted to give her a bit more depth, see how she'd handle an emotional funk. I see her as one of those people that bottles up things for a long time and when she falls, she falls hard. I love comments, though, so feel free to let me know any thoughts generated on the story. To those people who may have read but not reviewed, feedback helps me to get better so the story is better. I'm not one of those lame people that will only write for reviews, though…I love writing for writing's sake. I also will not freak out at negative criticism of my work, either. So feel free to tell me what you think.

On another note I apologize to my readers here. To be perfectly honest I forgot about my account when I got back to college. Hopefully a few new chapters will serve as forgiveness.

-Chiefie

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2. Memory is History

A pair of tiny leaves fell onto her face.

Rikku groaned and woke up in a forest of strange lights and colors. The trees looked green and thriving at first, but faded quickly to white. Above her were piles of multicolored leaves placed carefully among the branches. She couldn't see the sky.

She wondered if she was in Macalania, the dying forest where she had traveled so many times before with Yuna and the others. This place, however, didn't feel quite the same. There were no roads of blue and gray, there was no music playing in the background that she usually heard upon entrance. Maybe I'm in the past, she thought. Before Macalania had started to wither. It was probably healthier then.

A radiant green light began flashing at what seemed to be miles away. It blinded her for a moment, but then her natural curiously took over and she began moving towards it, entranced by its glow. There was no one else in sight, not even a creature, and it further drew her attention to the one sign of life she could see before her.

“Gosh, I was hoping they would send me someplace with people,” she muttered while moving forward. She turned around quickly, mainly out of sheer bewilderment, to see the opposite horizon; it was sheer blackness. She couldn't even see the trees she had just passed seconds before! It seemed that every step she took caused the world behind her to fade away. The green light grew brighter and brighter in the process.

Maybe she was in a temple somewhere, or maybe she was still dreaming. She was hoping to come up with a decent justification for her situation before reality could sink in. Maybe this world was set up by the boy (or his woman voice) to be an illusion.

She took a few more steps, and the light lunged forward. It pervaded her, surrounded her with nature and a strange feeling of energy. She should have been scared of whatever was going on, but the light's warmth was a comfort. She didn't want it to go away, but within a moment the light began to dissipate, leading her to a new and almost terrifying place.

It looked at one time to have been a great city. Stone walkways decorated the ground, and she could see the faint outline of once-great buildings reduced to cone-shaped rubble along the path's many ends. It was a ghost town, the only commotion being that of her own sandals against the ground and the occasional gust of wind on her hair. Her mouth was open in a mixture of awe and confusion.

She didn't know where to go first. Should she check to the left, a path that circled around a large mountain? Should she go straight, into what appeared to be a cave? She decided to investigate the first building on her right, her method consisting mainly of it being the closest to her present location. Maybe there'd be some clues scattered somewhere. Of course, this longing for information couldn't suppress the feeling that she was trespassing on hollowed ground. There had to be a reason this place was eventually abandoned, and the reason looked to be tragic one. She thought she shouldn't be there. On the opposite end of the spectrum, what else was she to do? She had no money, no means to communication, and definitely no understanding of where she was or how to get out. She needed some form of information to back her up.

The “house” (as she was keen to call it) she approached was shaped like a giant pink seashell. It had been chipped and broken on one side but still seemed to be reasonably livable. However, it didn't have any form of a door other than a large opening alongside the road. She tapped the side of the house's wall; it was pure stone.

The interior was slightly more charming than outside. The floors were made of solid wood, and handrails even decorated the area around a circular pit in the room's center. Inside of the pit seemed to be a black void, making her jump back a few feet in fear of falling in. She noticed a stairway in the back of the room, which was good considering the bottom floor seemed to tell her nothing.

Upstairs she found what she considered to be the valuables. There was a bookcase, a wooden dresser, and even a small bed. It looked like the place had been occupied recently, which made no sense considering the city's state in ruins.

She was most curious about the bookcase, so its shelves were her first destination. She didn't even know what to look for, so she just scanned across titles frantically, searching for anything with the word “Spira” in it. Just something to give her a better understanding of where she was. None of the books were any help in this regard, but she was happy they were at least written in the same language.

“The Ancient Struggles.”

“Rumors of the Lifestream.”

“A Brief History of Mako.”

What in the hell were these books? It sounded like she was in the science fiction department of Luca's bookstore. She kicked the dresser in frustration.

“Owie!” It wasn't the best idea she ever had, and ended up sitting on the bed for a moment to recover. The mattress was soft, though not altogether warm or very large. After a minute she forgot about her bruised little toe and walked back downstairs.

“Oh, well. Better keep…” She didn't finish the sentence, and what was likely the word “looking” was replaced by a petrifying scream.

A flash of red was all she saw at first. Then a pair of strong hands came across her shoulders, pinning her against the rocky house wall. She tried to fight it off with her elbows, but her fighting skills were either too rusty or too weak to do anything.

“Let me go!” she screamed, kicking her legs up in the air. The voice behind her was deep but not necessarily sinister. Then why did he attack? She didn't know what to think of it.

“Who are you?” It questioned. “Why did you come to this place?”

“I didn't mean to come here!” she protested, the grip not loosening in the least. “It happened by accident!”

The man (as it appeared by the voice) scoffed, finally releasing her from his grasp.

“Nobody comes here by accident.” He placed his right hand close to a pistol in its holster. He caught a glimpse of his hand, a ghostly pale white. She then looked up at his face, seeing a layer of raven-black hair kept in place by what appeared to be a red bandanna. He looked almost like a Guado, minus the face markings or the general ugliness of the race. He didn't look as callous, either, but her judgment may have very well been off. After all the man was dressed in solid black and red and looked like he hadn't seen the sun in over a decade.

Rikku backed up into the bed, cowering in nervousness. She talked like a helpless child.

“I don't know what's going on, mister, but I promise I'm not out to hurt you or cause any trouble! Just put the gun down and let me talk!”

The man threw part of his hair to one side, chuckling almost to play an evil part that his caring eyes weren't willing to join in.

“And you think you could hurt me. Hmph.”

“I could too! I just don't have the right stuff now!” She pouted for a moment, looking up at the man with her green eyes. “You remind me of Auron.”

She didn't even realize she said it out loud until the man seemed lost in her comparison. “Who?”

“You know, Sir Auron. The guardian of Lord Braska and then Lady Yuna. He helped to save all of Spira.” Maybe if she ranted long enough she'd sound like a crazy.

“All of what?” The “what” wasn't the kind that suggested he didn't hear what was said. It sounded instead like he couldn't believe what he just heard.

“Spira. Haven't you heard a lot about it?” The man shook his head, and she sat down on the bed in frustration. The man did not seem particularly violent anymore, and put the pistol back in its holster.

“I think we should probably get you to a doctor somewhere. You're delusional.”

“I am not! I'm perfectly healthy.”

“We could have this argument all day.” He started pacing back and forth inside the small room, his delicate red cape fluttering across the bookshelf. “I can see from your eyes that you're lost, so it won't do you any good to tell me you're `healthy.'”

She disagreed mainly for the purpose of doing so.

“I don't like it when people tell me what I can and can't do.”

“Then you're going to be wandering around here alone for a very long time.”

“I bet you I can find my way.” She probably took it a step too far there, playing a game she wasn't ready for.

“Okay. Good luck then.” He started to walk down the stairs, making her realize that silliness wasn't going to work on this guy. She yelled out for him to wait and ran down.

“Can you take me to where people are?”

He nodded, walking back out into the gray skies of the abandoned city.

“Your situation troubles me, and I do not seem to know why.” He briefly made eye contact with her, causing him to speak with even more distress as he exited the house and went into the gray sky.

“You claim to be from a land that disappeared thousands of years ago, and you don't look or act like anyone I've seen. Then there's those eyes…they look almost mechanical. They're not Mako eyes.”

“Mako?” she asked, beaming at the prospect of a mystery to solve. “I'm not a Mako, whatever that is. I'm an Al Bhed, one of the greatest races of people in all of Spira!”

The man didn't respond, instead turning his head down toward the ground again.

“You are extinct. Your mind has somehow become diseased, leading you to believe you're part of something that no longer exists.”

She frowned, scooting her feet as they moved towards the cave.

“Okay, so in your mind I'm disturbed. A bit kooky, not all there, weird.”

He nodded. “Understood.”

“Hey!” She scratched her head. “You weren't supposed to agree…but if that's the case I'm probably stupid too, since I don't know where I am.” She pointed at his chest, poking him lightly.

“Tell me all you know.”

The man sighed, obviously hating to be put in such a position.

“You're in what is known as The City of the Ancients. According to history this is the sacred ground where the Cetra, or the Ancients, the protectors of humankind, once dwelled and communicated with the planet.”

“With the planet? How?”

“Must you ask so many questions?” he asked himself in a cruel bit of irony. “The spirits of the dead channel the Planet's concerns through the Lifestream. Once every living creature enters the Lifestream upon death, their body is transformed into what some call Mako energy. But it is really human spirit, and it is this that the Ancients communicate with.”

She was enjoying this banter, but the bit about the “Lifestream” made her stop and wonder. Was this Lifestream an enhanced version of the Farplane? They sounded a bit similar.

“Sounds like the Farplane,” she finally got the courage to say. The response was nonexistent as the man's phone began to chime loudly.

“Excuse me.” He said, answering his call. “Cid. I will await your arrival at the front of Bone Village. Thirty minutes is fine.” He wasn't a real “phone talker,” she noticed quickly. He probably gave worse advice than Rin.

“Are you wishing for a ride to Edge?” he asked her immediately upon hanging up.

“That's a city, right?”

“Yes. I have some questions I need answered there. My pilot probably will not mind an extra stowaway.”

“He won't mind this one anyway! I can help, I know planes inside out! My brother helps captain a fancy airship called the Celsius.”

“Good for him,” he mumbled. “Ships are likely different here in comparison to whatever world you came from.”

“It's not `whatever world,' doofus. It's called Spira!” He started to walk the opposite direction, to where trees from the forest made a faint outline behind the stone. She followed a few steps behind.

“I never did catch your name…” she was trying to egg an answer out of him, anything to give her some sort of confidence that she was following the right guy.

“I never gave it.” The answer upset her but she still went along with it.

“Well then I'm Rikku, pleased to meet ya!”

“No last name?”

“We never had any use for them.” She shrugged.

“So you say. I am Vincent.”

“No last name, either?”

He paused for a moment in his steps, turning his pale face around into her eyesight. She shivered a bit as the wind seemed to suddenly pick up and then die again.

“Vincent Valentine.” The pair resumed walking.

“So Mr. Valentine…”

“Vincent,” he corrected.

“So Vincent, if you say this place we're in is not found on accident, then why in Spira are you here?”

“I don't relate to your expression,” he announced coldly, “but I like to think of myself as a protector to this place. Everyone has their position in life, and I am fully content with this being mine. I keep those who would disturb this ground out.”

“But what is there to protect other than a bunch of dirty old ruins?” Vincent sneered at the very mention of these things as “dirty,” and refused to even make eye contact with her as they ascended the stone steps towards the forest.

“There is more within this city than you will ever understand.”

“Then show it to me.” She tugged at his cape to gain attention. “Help me to understand it.”

“Sadly, I cannot at this moment. Entering the city's most sacred of chambers requires much ceremony, and our time here is short. I feel you may be best to regain your memory if you ever venture inside those walls.” She scooted up to his side, hoping to either understand or simply be comforted.

“So you don't think I'm from Spira, do you?”

“It is difficult to believe. We have never had any visitors through time before. Yet I do admit stranger things have happened and you are different from those I have seen. You dress more colorfully.” She grasped the shoulder of her orange shirt, not realizing he meant it as a bit of a joke. He lacked in his execution.

Rikku shook her head in disapproval.

“It's not the first time it has happened, you know. My friend Tidus was sent to Spira from 1000 years in the past. A boy sent him there, I guess to help save the world.”

“And you?” She seemed to finally have his attention, for his head was fully turned towards hers.

“I was told to come here by a boy, but not in the same way. His mouth opened and closed, but the voice that came out wasn't his. It was a woman's. The sound came from everywhere, the walls, the windows. I can't describe it!”

Vincent grabbed her thin shoulder, pulling her body towards his like he was telling a big secret.

“Hey, careful with the merchandise!” she protested.

“You said it was a woman's voice that told you to come here?”

“Yep. Sure as night and day.”

“Then I may have somebody you can talk to. Of course, I'm still not ruling out that you are insane.”

“Hey!”

“But I suppose in time we'll figure it out.”

It made Rikku smile to know that at least one person was willing to put up with her for a moment. They approached the beginnings of the forest, and Vincent instructed her to hide behind his cape.

“Why should I do that? You think I'm ugly or something?” He tried his best to ignore her while stepping onward.

“This forest can be very choosy about who it lets in and out. I find it best not to tempt it.”

The presence of her “guardian angel of the moment” was at least beneficial for changing the forest's appearance. She could see the horizon this time, though the trees did seem to wither away to a white color. The green light was lost entirely.

“I woke up in here. How is that the place looks so different now?”

He was puzzled at first by her words, wondering how she could have possibly woken up in the forest of all places. It took him a moment to come up with a reasonable response.

“The Ancients use the will of this forest to guide its visitors. If you woke up here, then it would seem you were destined to enter the city and eventually find me…”

“…or that I chose to come in and find you. I could've just stayed in one place and cried my eyes out!”

“Very well.”

“Maybe we are supposed to save the world together!” She lifted her hands melodramatically into the air, like she almost expected sparks to fly out of her fingertips. “Rikku and Vincent, heroes of the new world! I can see the headlines now.” She tried patting the man on the back for encouragement, but he continued walking without response.

“You're such a party pooper.”

He shrugged.

“I don't plan on saving the world anymore. My friends and I have done that enough already.”

“Really? How?” She was extremely excited with the mentioning of adventure, hoping it would give her something to relate to.

“It's a bit of a long story.” The response was depressing, but she continued to push at him.

“Wow…so you're like a celebrity, right? People are trying to meet you every second of the day! I had the same feeling for a while in Spira, it and made me feel great!”

“I prefer to be left alone.” He pushed aside some vines along the leafy pathway. Rikku groaned.

“We are almost out of the forest. The airship should be waiting on the other side.”

“Good. I just want to see the blue sky again! This place gives me the creeps.” They could start to see the outline of a few tents, followed by an enormous chrome piece of metal in the background.

“Ooh, are those tents a city? Can we stop there?”

“I would prefer not to. Bone Village is a cold and dirty place. The people there would eat you alive.” Rikku started to argue, but was interrupted by a sudden flash of movement. A large grey beast had jumped out of seemingly nowhere, and Rikku screamed at first from the shock.

“What the hell? I don't believe it…you better get back!”

“No, I can fight as well as anyone else!” The beast roared forward at her, but Vincent nailed it in the side with the shot of a pistol he pulled out from under his cape. Rikku then flipped over it, using the advantage of the bullet wound to knock it on the side with her fists. The beast attempted to slash at her feet with its silver claws, but she jumped out of the way while Vincent fired again. After a few more shots the creature was dead, its ivory teeth still glistening with drool.

Vincent stood almost in shock as Rikku walked back up to his side.

“I do not understand what just happened, but what you did was impressive. How did you learn to fight like that?”

“Lots of training and butt-kicking! I'm a little out of shape, though; hadn't had a good adventure in a while.” They had finally exited the forest, and were walking along a dirt road past what looked to be excavation sites.

“There may be more to you then meets the eye, Miss Rikku. Still, that does not explain why a beast appeared here. I've traveled through this forest over a hundred times without a distraction.”

Rikku grinned at him, punching the air with her fists.

“I must bring out the worst in it.”

“Maybe.” It was an interesting situation for the two of them, as one did not seem to be any less confused than the other. Rikku didn't know where she was, but Vincent didn't know why he had been chosen to receive such a visitor. The questions were endless, but the restrictions of the public place prevented many of them from surfacing. There were a few workers in blue uniforms out mining in the chilly air, but they were of little further interest as they approached the metal monstrosity that was the airship.

The structure itself easily put the Celsius to shame. The plane was made of solid grey chrome (it could blind someone on a sunny day), with the exception of black lining along the wings. It was easily twice the size of any ship she had ever seen, leading her to believe the engines were powerful beyond comprehension.

A small ladder had been draped down to the layers of dead grass for the pair to climb up. Obviously this was easier than if they were to actually land.

“Hope you're not afraid of heights,” Vincent said as he took initiative to climb first.

“No way! I've been flying ever since I was a little girl!”

“I thought you were still a little girl.” There was a platform that Vincent stepped on to after climbing the ladder, and Rikku followed him shortly. She didn't take the time to respond to his insult, either, for she was so enamored with the ship she was standing aboard. If this structure was in her world it would be a marvel to all of Spira.

The platform rose upward electronically, connecting them to the rest of the ship. The brownish-gray cargo hold (as she assumed it to be) was warm and spacious, filled partially with cardboard boxes and a few stables. A large bird called out with a long “kweeeehhhh.”

“Chocobos?” she yelled out an excitement. “There's something I know!” She approached the bird in an instant, petting it on the wing before even noticing the color of its feathers.

“Why is it blue?”

“Let's just say it belongs to a friend. We need to keep going.” The cargo hold rocked for a moment as the ship started its engines up. It rode smoothly the remainder of the trip.

The two strangely-paired travelers walked into a metal door leading into a hallway. The walls were painted bright red and decorated with picture frames, most of which were of other aircrafts. One such aircraft had a picture of a girl painted onto its side, another was perched on a station as if it was about to shoot up into space.

“The pilot used to fly these a few years ago. He doesn't need to anymore with this ship.” Then, without comment, the pair proceeded further, climbing a small flight of stairs. They passed up a closed metal door with the title of “engine room,” but figured there was little of interest inside, anyway.

Upstairs Vincent led her to the right, where they found what looked to be two workers in grey uniforms along with the pilot, a thin man wearing a denim jacket.

“I appreciate the ride, Cid,” Vincent said immediately to what seemed to be the man in charge.

“No thanks needed, chum!” Cid turned to look at one of the men in uniform. “Take over for a bit. I got talkin' to do.”

To Rikku Cid had a demeanor similar to Brother Brother. He was goofy looking with dirty blonde hair, big lips, and a look that suggested that he hadn't shaved in days. However, he also seemed a bit more rugged than her Al Bhed relation, as if this guy wouldn't cry if somebody insulted him (or, in Brother's case, if Yuna rejected him).

“I hope you don't mind me bringing a visitor along with me.” Cid walked up from his chair, turning around to see what Vincent was talking about.

“Get yourself a girlfriend, Vince? She don't look like the type I'm used to seeing around here.”

“She's not. I mean, she's not my girlfriend or typical of most people.” It was the first time in their brief time together that she had seen him stutter with his words.

“Too bad, Vince, too bad. She's quite a looker, probably out of your league, though.” Rikku didn't know whether to blush or be disgusted. The pilot, with his dirty brown pants and unshaven beard, had to be at least thirty.

“So what's your name, darling?”

“I'm Rikku,” she said softly.

“Don't be afraid to speak up!” he yelled in direct response to her shyness. “Name's Cid Highwind, best pilot you're ever gonna find in these parts.”

“My daddy's name is Cid, too!”

“Great,” the pilot muttered sarcastically. “I have an old man name.”

Cid ran his mouth almost to the extent of the plane's motors. “I've been doing this flying thing for a good many years now, and this new beauty here is my Highwind Mk. 2. I just had her finished last fall.” He took in a breath.

“Say, can I interest you in a drink or something? My wife's back in the cabins…she can fix mighty good tea when on the ground, but we got some other good stuff up here.”

“I'll have some water, thanks.”

“Works for me, sugar.” He picked up communicator from the front of the cockpit. “Shera! Come bring our guest a glass of water!”

“Okay…I'll be right there.” Shera's voice sounded like the exact opposite of Cid's, quiet and demure. It made Rikku wonder how they ever were married.

He didn't waste any time to resume conversation.

“So Rikku, if you ain't Vince's gal, then why on earth were you hanging around him? He's not the most pleasant of folk to talk to.”

Vincent answered the question for her.

“I found her at the Forgotten City wandering around. She claims to be from Spira, part of the Al Bhed race.”

“Spira?” Cid exclaimed, his face with a distinct look of shock upon it. “That's buried deep in the history books, missy.”

Rikku hesitating, knowing she may not necessarily want to know the answer to her next question.

“How deep?”

“About five thousand years deep by our estimates. In other words, so deep that we have records that the place existed but know very little about it.”

Her face froze at she stared out to the clouds. Five thousand years? That was five times longer than Tidus was transported! His hometown was in ruins, so she could only imagine what Besaid, Luca, and even Bikanel would look like. There may not even be anything left! Zanarkand was likely buried completely. She wanted to run out of the cockpit to be alone, but she really didn't have many places to go inside of an airship. All her friends were dead, all her enemies were dead. The entire world she knew was dead.

“Vince, I believe the girl's freaking out.”

“I can't believe it!” she screamed, almost hysterically. “Five thousand years? This must be some kooky dream, no way that much time has passed. I'm ancient compared to you guys!”

“Ancient,” Vincent muttered in between her shouting. “Interesting choice of words.”

It took Rikku's mind a minute to register what he was talking about. Thankfully it also calmed her down.

“Don't get one of those weird ideas into your head! I'm not one of those people, if that's what you're guessing. I don't talk to the planet or have some “Forgotten City” as you called it. I'm just an Al Bhed.” Vincent shook his head, probably wondering how out of all the women on the planet he had met up with the obnoxious one. He continued, however, to explain his plight to Cid.

“I thought getting her into Edge could help to clear up her mind. She can see some people and hope that something jogs her memory.”

“Of course, if she is some visitor from another time, it would be a good sign some freaky shit is going down.” He turned his head back to the communicator. “Shera! Water!”

Rikku felt like she was suddenly taking a back seat to the two men's debate.

“I wish the appearance of Rikku was the only peculiar occurrence of the day, but we battled a monster inside the forest just before we got to Bone Village.”

“A monster? There ain't been a sighting there for as long as I could remember. I thought the Ancients were supposed to protect it!”

“As did I. I suspect trouble may be unfolding again.”

“Damn it,” Cid mumbled. “I haven't heard anything else bad happening, though.”

“I am unsure,” Vincent replied. “We may just be so used to catastrophe that we expect the worst out of everything now.”

A woman, middle-aged and wearing a yellow dress, walked into the room and smiled.

“I brought the water.”

“Then why you standing there with it, Shera? Give it to the girl!” Shera looked straight at Rikku, shocked to see another woman on the plane.

“Actually, why don't you two have some girl talk back in the cabin? Vince and I gotta chat for a few alone.”

Rikku was pissed off by “Cid the chauvinist” (as she chose to think of him), but she let it slide as Shera motioned to follow her. They walked out of the bridge and across the hall. The cabin area was spacious, with several cubicles set aside for people to rest in. There was a tiny kitchen in the back which was likely the source of the water.

“Does he always treat you like an idiot?” Rikku asked immediately once the door closed. She didn't think that she was coming across as overly curious into a couple's affairs.

Shera huffed in a deep breath, playing with the ends of her brunette hair.

“No, not usually. He likes to act tough in front of the other guys so I let him. He can be nice beyond that.”

“Then why don't you get him to be nice all the time?” She took a drink of the water, acting like it was the purest nectar in the world. Before the first sip she didn't realize how thirsty she really was.

“I owe Cid a good bit. I've ruined a couple of his dreams in the past, so the idea that he still stays by me speaks for itself.” Rikku started to reply, but she was hushed with a finger.

“Please, don't try to give me advice on it. It must sound like I'm a weak woman to you, but I enjoy my life. I really do.”

She sighed, disappointed her opportunity to be helpful was blown. The conversation change was rapid, as she immediately decided to get some valuable information.

“So what's this city we're going to like? Is there lots of pretty colors, people running about the streets cheering?”

“To be honest, no.” Shera was trying her best to smile, as if she was informing her of an accident. “Edge has never exactly been a place for joy. It's getting better, but at a very slow pace.”

Rikku proceeded to tell her story to this point, about how she had been transported and met up with Vincent. Shera was confused more so than the two men, being that she was of fragile mind and unaccustomed to such fantasy.

“Interesting,” was all the woman could manage to say.

“I'm sorry to jump on you with all that!” Rikku exclaimed in defense. “I just wanted to see if you could tell me what I should do when we get to Edge.”

Shera bowed her head for a moment, twiddling the fabric of her dress between her tiny hands.

“You should come along with Cid and me. We're going to visit some old friends, and maybe one of them will have something useful to tell you.”

“Sounds good!” Rikku replied. Staying with them seemed to be the best option, since she was clueless still as to her mission. That stupid voice never told her what exactly she was to do once she arrived.

“Where's the creepy…I mean, where's Vincent going to be during all this?”

“He said he has some business to deal with about some strange markings he found deep within the Forgotten City.”

“What kind of markings?”

“He wouldn't say. He may have something else planned now.” The two of them stared blankly for a moment, giving Rikku a chance yet again to analyze the situation and come up with no answer. She wondered what Vincent meant by “strange markings,” or by any of his demeanor in general. He seemed to be a good man, but one terribly disillusioned with the rest of the world. What happened to him? She was going to make an effort to find out just as soon as she found out what had happened to herself. Other than she was a terrible five thousand years into the future, little else appeared sound. These people didn't even appear sound! She didn't know if she could trust them or not, but at this point she had to. She was aboard their ship, following their orders. She was a slave to their words.

Rikku and Shera's bodies quivered briefly as the speaker inside the cabin buzzed, carrying in the captain's voice.

“We've arrived at Edge, you two. Take everything that's meant to be taken, for we're sure as hell not coming back for a damn purse.”

Rikku smiled for moment, stretching her arms and looking forward to whatever lied outside those metal doors.

“Looks like it's time to see the world!” she exclaimed, leaving Shera in the dust as she started her journey. She ran straight into Vincent (almost head-on) in the hallway, causing a brief scowl from him and a giggle from her.

As she scampered down the flight of stairs to the cargo hold, a thought appeared in her mind; strangely, though, it was not her own.

I'm glad to see you've found a good group. Welcome to your new home.

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A/N: Before you press that “review” button, I would like to pose an issue for potential critics to discuss if they see fit (I'll probably do this several times through my fic). With this story I am attempting to create something that is both familiar and fresh…though this may be a crossover I don't want it to ever feel like I'm meshing characters together to just be cute. Let me know if you ever think I'm focusing too much on the crossover aspect of the story rather than the plot; I hope I never do. I'm trying to introduce information bit by bit, so that you the loyal reader get to have the fun with speculation. Hopefully I'll be talking to you again soon.