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"Rikku's Destiny" - Chapter Two
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The bright sun shone down on the small island of Besaid, warming the village located in the center of the island paradise, around the Temple of the Fayth. The only sound breaking the late morning serenity was the occasional bird chirping happily in his or her nest and that of a cranky six month old with a set of very healthy lungs.
“Waaah! Waaah! Waaah!”
“What in Yevon’s name are you doing to that poor kid?” Tidus jogged into Wakka’s home, a blitz ball under his arm, wincing at the sound of the baby’s cries. Vidina’s face was bright red and scrunched up, his tiny hands fisted and flailing wildly. Tidus dropped the ball and picked up the boy, bouncing him gently as he had seen Lulu do countless times. “What were you doing?”
Wakka looked embarrassed. He kicked at the corner of the carpet, looking like a little boy being yelled at for breaking his mother’s favorite vase. “I was jes tryin’ ta make him laugh, ya? Makin’ faces and all dat.”
Tidus shook his head, chuckling. “Your son is going to grow up afraid of you.” Vidina finally quieted down a bit, laughing as ‘Uncle Tidus’ bounced him in his arms. Tidus grinned at the infant before addressing Wakka again. “Where’s Lulu?”
“She went wit’ Yuna into da temple. Yuna said she wanted ta completely clear da temple of fiends. Lulu’s been feelin’ a bit cooped up, so she decided ta go too.”
“No wonder Vidina’s so upset. He misses his mommy. Isn’t that right Vidina?” murmured Tidus, making what he thought to be an amusing face at Wakka’s son. The infant promptly started screaming at the top of his lungs yet again. Okay, faces equals bad. Note taken. Over the child’s cries, Tidus called to Wakka, “I hope the girls get back soon!”
“Dat makes you an’ me both, broda.”
- - - - - - - - - -
“Allow me to break the ice.” Vicious shards of ice appeared, swiftly and effectively ending the life of the two fiends that had thought to sneak up on the women in the temple. Tsk. Tsk.
Yuna sighed and holstered her unused pistols. “Lulu, you didn’t even let me get a shot in.” She pouted a bit.
“This time.” Lulu smirked at her younger friend. “Sorry. Sometimes I need to stretch my power a bit.”
“You mean show off,” laughed Yuna.
Lulu brushed off her skirt and resettled the stuffed moogle in the crook of her arm before speaking again. “Yuna, you’ve been showing off since we set foot in the Cloister of Trials. I shudder to think how much more extravagant you would have been had you brought those dresspheres of yours.”
Yuna blushed a bit. “Guilty as charged. You’re not the only one who has fighting skills.” She took a few steps towards the stairs leading out of the temple. “I can’t help it. I got so used to sphere hunting that this break is making me restless.”
“I see. Vidina isn’t enough excitement for you?”
Yuna blushed again, deeper. “Tidus is better with Vidina than I am.” She felt like she was betraying women everywhere by admitting that a man could take better care of a baby than she could. Maternal instinct my ass.
“He’s better than Wakka too. As much as I hate to admit it, I worry when Wakka is left home alone with Vidina. I don’t think Wakka would ever do something irresponsible. My fear is more that Vidina will cry his father into an early grave,” Lulu commented, laughing a bit. She walked with Yuna out of the temple, whispering softly as they were once again bathed in the warm sunlight of the morning sky. “But a good hand with a baby is a valuable trait in a husband.”
Now Yuna was really blushing. “Well I… we haven’t really…”
Lulu placed a hand on Yuna’s shoulder. “Relax.”
Sharing a smile, the two women strode to the home that Lulu and Wakka shared. “Wakka? Tidus? Are you guys here?” called Yuna.
“SHHHH!” hissed Wakka.
“We just got Vidina down for a nap,” whispered Tidus, emerging from his friend’s home to put his hand quickly to Yuna’s lips. He didn’t want her voice to wake the baby. “We didn’t think he would ever stop crying.”
“He tired himself out, hmm?” Lulu smiled as she glanced from the sleeping child in his crib to her husband. “You look like you could use a nap as well, Wakka.” She made him lie down on the bed before seating herself next to him, idly rubbing his tanned, muscular arm with her own hand, which was pale and feminine in comparison; so much smaller and more delicate.
Yuna found herself amused that Lulu, who was so much smaller in stature, held such sway over her mate. Taking Tidus’ hand, she led him away from the entrance of the home. She thought Lulu and Wakka could use some alone time, and she could certainly use some with Tidus. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”
“Uhm… are we going to have one of those talks?” he asked, only half joking. Granted, he had never been one to hide what he felt, especially from her, but there were only so many times a man could talk about what he was feeling before his manliness was called into question.
“No,” replied Yuna, laughing. “I just feel like walking. But, now that you mention it, I wouldn’t mind getting a few things off of my chest.”
“Do you hear something?” asked Tidus, as they walked out of the village.
Yuna shook her head ‘no’ before continuing. “I’m bored, Tidus. With this calm and steady island life. Granted, our nights are rather stimulating,” she took a breath then continued, “But the days have been long and boring. I have nothing to do but coo over Vidina and that gets tiring after a while.” As she spoke, they neared the beach, the sound of the waves growing louder as they did so.
Tidus glanced around, squinting in the bright sunlight. He was sure he heard something. “Are you sure you don’t hear that?”
Yuna pouted, unsure if he had even been listening to her or just trying to distract her with his ‘hearing of something’. “Hear what?!” She decided to indulge him and remain silent for a moment, listening. Her face brightened when she finally DID hear it. She gave him a knowing smile. “I’ll race you!”
Both of them took off at a sprint, running across the sand and laughing at the spontaneous foot race. Tidus stopped at the water’s edge, but Yuna kept running, splashing her way in and stopping only when the water touched the bottom of her almost indecently short shorts. “Look!” she shouted, pointing at the skyline.
Tidus followed her gesture. What was she looking at? He thought he could see something in the distance, an airship maybe. The Celsius? But Brother would have called them on the CommSphere if the repairs were complete. So who was it? He wouldn’t be wondering for very long, judging from how quickly the ship was approaching them. As it neared, Tidus could tell by color that it wasn’t the Celsius, and he began to worry a bit. “Yuna, be careful!” Not that she would listen, but he felt obligated to say it.
Yuna laughed and waved her hands above her head, trying to signal the approaching ship. “Over here!”
As if following her guidance, the ship came in fast and stopped with expertise, right above Yuna. The cargo bay opened and out jumped none other than Cid’s only daughter. “Yunie!” she called, tackling her cousin and successfully drenching them both. “Look! Look!”
“Hey Rikku! Nice airship!” shouted Tidus, from the shore.
Yuna nodded her agreement. “Is it yours?”
Rikku grinned. “Every inch of her.” She glanced at Tidus, then back to Yuna. The look on Yuna’s face made her giggle and she called to Tidus. “Ready for an adventure?”
“He’d better be!” chimed in Yuna.
Tidus glanced up at the ship and sighed, his shoulder slumping slightly. “Can’t argue with that.”
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