Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Until The Day I Die: A Squikku and Tiduna Story ❯ Beginning The Mission ( Chapter 4 )

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

CHAPTER 4: BEGINNING THE MISSION



"Rikku!" Yuna yelled, waiting by the end of the staircase for Rikku, "Are you ready?! We're gonna be late for our missions!"

"Hold your chocobos!" They heard Rikku yell from upstairs.

Lulu sighed, leaning against the wall, "What is this girl doing now?" she asked, looking at Yuna.

"She says she can't decide what to wear."

"What to wear?" Lulu asked outraged, "It's a mission! Not a fashion show! DO YOU HEAR ME, RIKKU?" She yelled up the stairs for Rikku to hear.

"I hear ya, gosh!" Rikku replied, still digging through her pile of clothes, "but I don't know if I should match Squall or not. Matching couples are in this year..."

"Couples?!" Yuna and Lulu asked, staring at eachother.

"You know what I mean!" Rikku yelled, "I don't exactly mean only dating couples!"

"Oh," Yuna sighed. She still couldn't get the image of Rikku and Squall in a bed together out of her mind, "you don't have to match him, Rikku. Do you even have any dark clothing?"

"I have the black mage and warrior dresspheres."

"Rikku, I swear if you ain't down here in 3 seconds we're leaving without you!" Lulu yelled, grabbing Yuna and walking towards the door, "I'll just tell Squall that we sold you to a Chocobo farm!"

"Fine! I'm coming! I'm coming!" Rikku yelled, running down the stairs. She was wearing short khaki shorts and an orange tank top.

"You took forever just to put on those two little cloths?" Lulu asked, examining her.

"Cloths? These are clothes!" Rikku said, looking down at her attire, "plus we're going to the Desert. I don't wanna be hot."

"Whatever," Lulu rolled her eyes, heading out the door, "Let's go, we're already late."

Yuna looked at Rikku and smiled, "Don't mind her, Rikku. You look great."

Rikku smiled brightly, "Thanks, Yunie! You don't look bad yourself. Where you and Tidus going?"

"Mt. Gagazet. Kimahri said he'll meet us up there too." Yuna replied, grabbing her winter fur jacket.

"Kimahri?" Rikku asked, excitedly, "Tell him I send my love!"

Yuna nodded, as they walked outside to an impatient Lulu.

HOVER STOP

Squall, Tidus, and Wakka stood by the hovers waiting impatiently for the girls to show up. They were all entertaining themselves in some way: Squall practiced swinging his gunblade, Tidus compared his hair with a Chocobo, and Wakka was having a staring contest with the sun.

"That's not good for your eyes." Lulu said, walking up to them, with Yuna and Rikku behind her.

"You guys are late." Squall said angrily, not bothering to look at them.

"It's all little Miss What-am-I-gonna-wear's fault." Lulu said, tilting her head towards Rikku. Rikku and Yuna were talking politely to some hover drivers.

"And what did she decide to...WHAT THE HELL?!" Squall looked at Rikku, seeing that she decided to wear little clothing, again. She was bouncing around, talking to some guys as Yuna shyly smiled at them. 'This girl really needs to stop doing that!' Squall thought, 'why can't she be sweet and innocent like Yuna?'

"Who's little miss...Yuna!" Tidus yelled, spotting Yuna with the guys, "Yuna, get over here!"

"Come on." Squall said to Tidus, walking towards the girls. Tidus nodded, following him. 'No one talks to my Yuna.' He thought angrily.

Rikku smiled sweetly at the blonde guy infront of her as some brunette guy was giving Yuna pointers on how to shoot her gun.

"You hold it like this," The guy stood behind Yuna, placing a hand on her hip, "and you aim."

"Like this?" Yuna asked, doing as he said. She knew how to aim a gun, but this guy was really cute.

'Then again, maybe Yuna ain't so innocent and sweet...' Squall said as he saw her. Tidus made an angry face and walked towards Yuna and her new friend.

"She knows how to aim a damn gun, thank you!" Tidus yelled, pushing the guy away from Yuna, "and she'd appreciate it if you kept your hands to yourself!"

"Tidus!" Yuna yelped as Tidus dragged her away from the man, "I was talking!"

Tidus turned to glare at her angrily, Yuna gave him her best 'what did I do?' look. "That wasn't talking! That was shameless flirting!"

"I can flirt! It's a free world!" Yuna replied, angrily tapping her foot and giving Tidus a death glare. He had no right to tell her who and who she can't flirt with. True, they've become close, very close but he hasn't even asked her out yet. He ignores her in school when other girls are around and she was getting tired of him playing his ridiculous games. Does he like her or not?!

"You...no...URG!" Tidus sighed, frustratedly, "Let's go. We're already late for our mission!" He grabbed her hand and lead her towards Wakka and Lulu who watched them in amusement.

"You see I help operate these big machines," The blonde said, patting a hover and giving Rikku a flirtacious wink, "all by myself."

"Really?" Rikku asked, smiling at the hover, "I always was interested in hovers. Can I sit on it?"

"Sure..."

"No." Rikku and the blonde turned around to see Squall, clenching his gunblade tightly and staring at both of them.

"Aw, c'mon, Squall!" Rikku whined, he just had to come and ruin her fun.

"Rikku, quit flirting and let's go. We have a mission." Squall said angrily, "plus we're riding another hover."

"I can always take you..."

"I said 'no'." Squall said, glaring at the man.

"He's right." Rikku sighed, "I gotta go...maybe we'll talk later?"

"Sure..."

Squall dragged Rikku off towards the others. Not even giving her a chance to tell him her name or give him her number.

"Geez, Squall, why don't I just hang a sign around your neck that says 'party pooper'?" Rikku asked, letting him push her onto a hover.

"This isn't a game, Rikku, this is our grade, our life."

"I was just being friendly..."

"You were being a flirt. And couldn't you pick more...unrevealing clothes?"

Rikku sat down, Squall settling next to her, "Don't even start, Mister! We're going to a desert. Plus, why are you wearing all those clothes and black? Do you want to have a heat stroke?"

"You're right." Squall said, taking off his jacket.

Rikku watched him in confusion, "What are you doing?"

Squall wrapped his jacket around her, "You need it more than I do. And here." He took off his necklace and put it on Rikku, "Give me your hand."

Rikku, still shocked from his previous actions, slowly put her hand in his as he held it, "What's the point of this?" She asked.

"This is a sign of property." He said, glaring at all the horny men that oogled Rikku with their eyes.

"Property?!" Rikku asked outraged, trying to pull her hand away from Squall, "I ain't your property! Let me go!"

"I ain't gonna have you flirting and being all 'friendly' to every cute single guy you meet. You have no choice." Squall said.

"You're being a..."

"Meanie. Yes, I know." Squall interrupted, ignoring Rikku's groans of frustration.

"Fine! But the same goes for you! No little conversations with single girls!" Rikku said.

"Agreed." Squall said, smiling at her, "plus I need to focus all my energy on keeping you from doing anything to screw this up for me."

Rikku stuck out her tongue then sighed, defeated, "Fine, Squally-poo, but I'm gonna show you how it is to work as a team."

"Squally-poo?" Squall asked.

"Your new pet name." Rikku smiled, "your my new little boyfriend so you need one."

"Rikku, you call me Squally-poo again I'm gonna..."

"What, Squally-poo?" Rikku asked with a teasing smile, "You wouldn't hurt your girlfriend would you?"

Squall thought a moment, "You're right...I wouldn't." He leaned closer and kissed her before she could reply.

Rikku's eyes widened in shock as Squall's lips pressed against hers. She was wondering if she open her mouth and allow their tongues to touch, but before she could make a final decision, he pulled away. She looked at him smile at the men that were checking her out, they all turned away, convinced that they were dating.

"There. That worked didn't it?" He asked, smiling at Rikku. Rikku blushed and quickly looked to stare at the land.

Squall smiled to himself, satisfied that his plan worked. Not only was Rikku gonna be quiet, but he got the perverted guys to stop staring at her like she was a free buffet and they were starving.

FIRST STOP: BIKANEL DESERT

The hover came to a stop, Squall released Rikku's hand, watching her quickly rush off the hover to where Yuna and Lulu were standing. 'Maybe I shouldn't have kissed her.' Squall thought, 'now she's gonna be all...awkward. Whatever...I'll apologize later.'

Rikku hugged Lulu then Yuna, "Be careful, k?" Yuna smiled, "stick by Squall, I know it's gonna be hard but he's your partner and you two are gonna have to work together."

Work? With him? Rikku glanced back at Squall who was chatting with Tidus and Wakka, who were waiting for the next hovers to come. Rikku started feeling an emotion she hasn't felt in a long time...nervous. Alone, with Squall, in a desert. Nothing there to distract her from him, then again he probably wouldn't even talk to her but...WHY'D HE HAVE TO KISS HER? Everything was so innocent and friendly between them, why'd he have to ruin that just by giving her a peck on the lips?

"Spira to Rikku!" Yuna yelled, waving her hands wildly infront of Rikku trying to get her attention.

Rikku snapped back to reality looking at Yuna's worried face and Lulu's amused one. Why is Lulu always amused when other people are having problems?

"I'm sorry, what you say, Yunie?" Rikku asked.

"I just wanted to know if you had enough water...do you?" Yuna asked again, looking at Rikku's little water bottle.

Rikku looked at her water bottle too, "No, prob! Squall and I have enough. He brought a jug."

"Are you ok, Rikku?" Lulu asked, placing her hand on Rikku's forehead, "You look flushed already...are you coming down with the flu?"

"I'm fine, Lu!" Rikku smiled, perking up, "just ready to go."

"Ready to go, Rikku?" Squall asked, approaching them.

"Er...yeah, bye you guys!" Rikku said, walking away quickly.

Squall was about to follow her until he felt something grab him by the arm, he turned to see Yuna holding him and Lulu staring at him, waiting for an explanation.

"What?" He sighed, impatiently.

"What did you do to my cousin?" Yuna asked, "She seems to be troubled by something."

Squall shrugged, pulling out of Yuna's grasp, "What am I suppose to do about other people's problems?"

"Other people's problems?!" Yuna asked, outraged, "she's your partner! You better take good care of her or else..."

"Calm down, Yuna. She's in good hands." Squall began walking towards the desert where Rikku was waiting, "We're gonna destroy this sand worm then we'll be on our way."

"I hope your right, Mr. Leonheart!" Yuna yelled, getting into a hover with Tidus.

AL BHEDS ALWAYS KNOW THE WAY

"Our mission is to destroy the ancient sand fiend, extra points if we help civilians with their fiend problems." Squall said, reading the mission paper.

Rikku nodded, not looking at him.

Squall sensed the awkward tension and looked up at Rikku, "Look, Rikku, I'm sorry if I freaked you out by kissing you. It was only to shut you up."

Rikku stopped to glare at him, "Shut me up? You made me feel uncomfortable just to shut me up?"

"Well...yeah." Squall replied.

"You big jerk!" Rikku yelled, hitting him in the arm, "all you had to do was ask!"

"I couldn't with you calling me boyfriend and Squally-poo!"

"You started it!" Rikku yelled, taking off his jacket and throwing it at him, "and can I finally show my clothes? No one's around!"

"Fine! No need to be a little brat about it!" Squall said, taking his necklace from Rikku.

"E ys hud paehk y pnyd, ouin paehk tevvelimd! (I am not being a brat, your being difficult)" Rikku replied.

"Yes you are being a brat, and deal with it, that's the way I am." Squall replied, walking away.

Rikku's jaw dropped as she watched him walk away. She shook out her shock and ran up to him smiling, "You know Al Bhed?!"

"I studied it since I knew you'd be using it a lot to talk about me." Squall replied, "I was right."

Rikku smiled, "You just earned 4 respect points, Mr. Lionheart."

"I'm overcome with happiness and joy," Squall said sarcastically, looking around the desert, "where are we?"

"Lost, hmm?" Rikku asked with a smile, "don't worry! Leave it to me! 'Rikku the Al Bhed map'." She jumped up and looked around cautiously, "We're suppose to go that way!"

Squall looked at her with concern. 'She's definitely on something.' He thought, 'But she has a cute determination face...wait, bad thought!' Squall shook off his last thought and followed the over-confident Al Bhed.

LOST

Squall followed Rikku for what seemed like forever. He was beginning to think that 'Rikku the Al Bhed map' had no clue where she was going.

"Rikku..."

"Don't talk, I'm thinking." Rikku said, looking around, "that way!" She pointed, smiling and running off.

"Rikku!" Squall ran after her to make sure she didn't get them any more lost, "Rikku, let's go find someone to ask for directions." He quickly grabbed her arm, causing her to stop.

"Directions?" Rikku asked, looking like she didn't know what the word meant, "Directions? We don't need directions! We got me!"

Squall sighed, she had a big ego, and pride in herself. He had to admit, he hated asking for directions too. It made him feel...helpless...worthless. But it was beginning to get dark and Rikku wasn't exactly dressed for the desert night.

"Rikku..." They began to feel the ground shake as sand blasted everywhere. A gigantic fiend/machina head raised from the ground. Squall quickly grabbed Rikku out the way so she wouldn't be sucked under with the sand.

"Hey, buster!" Rikku yelled angrily, looking up at the gigantic fiend head, "you're suppose to be located over there!" She pulled out her daggers, prepared to fight.

Squall pulled out his gunblade, looking up at it. It was bigger then he thought. He glanced over at Rikku to see if she was ready to fight. Rikku had a determined/angry look on her face, she was obviously mad at the fiend for not being located at the location she was heading.

"Ready?" Squall asked, watching the fiend move around, growling and hissing at them.

"Born ready, baby!" Rikku nodded, "let's show this fiend who's in control!" She spun her daggers then ran towards it.

Squall was about to attack when he realized something...that was only the head. He watched Rikku run towards it, "RIKKU! WAIT!" He yelled, but he was too late.

The sand fiend raised out more, causing Rikku to be sucked under the sand.

"RIKKU!" Squall yelled running towards the fiend and where she was sucked in, "RIKKU! CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

"Owie.." He heard Rikku reply, "I'm in some underground sand cave!"

"What's your situation?" He asked, cautiously looking up at the sand fiend.

"Disasterrific!" Rikku replied as a bunch of little sand fiend came towards her.