The shorter blonde was bounding in circles around her overwhelmed cousin. With her circles came delighted giggles, and as her counterpart had trouble finding words the talkative thief had no trouble filling the silence. “First, you gotta tell me all about how you grew up, and stuff! And then we gotta radio pops, oh! And brother will want to meet you too! And we’ll plan a trip for them to come get us - “
Consequentially, the thief had no doubts now she’s be able to get the apprentice Summoner into an airship. She was half Al Bhed afterall. It was in her blood! Well, half of it.
She paused mid bounce as she caught the traces of sadness in Yuna’s expression. The momentum tailing the stop sending her stumbling a bit. “Eek! You ok?”
Another bemused blink hit her as the girls countenance shifted to happiness once again. Wow, this one was fickle! With the way the brunette seemed to shake the thought off, Rikku figured it was probably about Sin. People liked to change that subject mid thought.
The blonde reflected a vibrant smile back to her older cousin. Cousin! Awesome! “I’m glad we met too! We shoulda met like a bajillion years ago!” She shuffled her weight slightly from one foot to the other as Yuna shifted into the Yevon prayer again. It was as awkward as it was cool, what do you do when it’s not your religion? Are you supposed to bow back outta respect? A high five, did not seem appropriate. Well, she’d just ask later.
“Hey, don’t apologize! It would have been great to have grown up and stuff but we still got forever to hang out and get to know each other and stuff! You can come have dinner on our ship, and I’ll show you home! I bet we have a lot in common we don’t know about yet.”
"O-Oh," Yuna returned back to her full 5'3", trying hard to keep that smile in her face. If you couldn't keep it there in times of sadness -- then you had to try harder. That was how she always coaxed herself on. Try harder...
"Yes, we should get to know eachother," she agreed, her eyes floating up to the sky. She closed her eyes, sighing softly, before returning her gaze to the flurry of blonde in front of her. "I would really like that. To be able to meet Uncle Cid as well..." she paused. "Do you think -- it would be all right for me to go there?" her question came softly.
If the High Priests found out that she was harbouring in Al Bhed territory, maybe they would try to stop her pilgrimage, thinking that she was using sacreligious means to get ahead...
Rikku could simply not wait to take this girl on their airship. Some people, they were just not meant to stay on the ground all the time.
"Totally! I mean there must be a reason we just up and met like this, right? Things happen for a reason - and we should make the most fun of them." She offered a reassuring smile when her blue and green gaze returned, something was clearly troubling the girl. Only what? "Pops would love to meet you! I bet he'll fall right over. You _really_ look a lot like my aunt! I kept thinking I knew you from somewhere! Of course it'll be alr...oh, hrm."
It was fine with her tribe for Yuna to go there. But as for Yevon? Who knows? They did not harbor a liking of the Al Bhed, and they'd excommunicate you if you tied your shoes the wrong way. The younger girl's bounces paused as her energy was focused on plotting. Then her motions resumed, and she paced a figure eight to solidify her idea, and then hoped back before the girl upon its completion.
"Ok! So, I don't know what Yevon would think about you coming, since they don't know about us. But like, they don't have to know, right? So we just won't tell them...they don't know where we live, we kinda. Have to hide from them, so you won't tell anyone right? Otherwise it'll be fine, you'll be safe. We harbor a lot of refugees that Yevons persecuting..."
Was it alright to tell her this? She was a Yevonite afterall. But she was family! And if anything goes a head above religion, it's blood.
"We even have some summoners! You'll be fine."
It was kind of sad, having to sneak her own kin in like they were committing some terrible crime. But not nearly as sad as not doing so would be.
"You have... Summoners?" The young woman leaned in closer to her cousin, simply amazed by the thought. She didn't quite know what the word entailed, but it did give her more hope that the ties between the Yevonites and the Al Bhed weren't as severed as most people thought.
Yuna retreated slightly, an hand coming up to toy with the necklance that she wore around her neck. "Do you really... think I look like my mother?" she asked, not making eye contact again. It was something that she was accustomed to.
"I never... got the chance to meet her," came her confession. "I was only about two, when -- " she trailed off, averting her eyes even more by shifting her head to the side.
This wasn't good. She couldn't start out like this. Not with family. She couldn't live forever with little cover-ups. White lies, she had always told herself they weren't so bad. As long as... you weren't hurting anyone but yourself.
"Rikku, I... there's something that I should tell you, I think."
The blonde gave several nods at the question, “Yup. When they can’t complete the pilgrimage, they get persecuted. So, we keep them safe.”
She tilted her head slightly at the girls retreat and nervous fidgeting. It was hard to know what to attribute to the girls shyness, and what part of her reactions were the result of Rikku causing her to be uncomfortable. Though at the trail of words, she realized, she’d simply made the girl sad. It was common to lose parents, brothers, sisters. Most families were ripped apart. But that did not mean it hurt any less.
Taking a gentle step towards her cousin, she placed a hand lightly on the girl’s shoulder. Her motions calmed, and her voice was softer. “Yeah, you really do. Pops has a sphere of her, I’m sure he’d let you see it.”
Rikku paused, feeling the girls unspoken indecision. She wished the other would meet her eyes again. Maybe Yuna was going to tell her what was troubling her so much, she had a churning fear it would be that they couldn’t act like a family because of Yevon, but she pushed it aside, take things as they come.
Would that be grand? To be able to see a sphere of her Mother... She didn't even have one of her own. Her Father was never really one to be able to work with the record spheres, much like Yuna. The Yevon Karma. Apparently? It was hereditary.
She looked up again, her eyes shifting to the place where her cousin had laid her hand. She was caught off guard by the motion at first, but then eased into it, lifting her own hand up to place on Rikku's.
"It's... I'm sure you understand how important it is to defeat Sin, right?" she started out slowly, a lump building itself in her throat. "I remember... when I was alone in Bevelle for the first few nights -- how happy all of the people were to see that The Calm had come. My Father's.... Calm."
Yuna's two toned gaze fell forward again, focusing on the ground. She winced. Just say it! Just confess! "I have chosen..." she swallowed hard, "to become a Summoner. Like my Father before me." As the words finally made thier escape, the brunette looked up, a stone expression on her face.
Nevermind about the tears in the corners of her eyes.
A slight nod met the question. It was irrelevant that the duel-colored eyes had since wandered. Everyone knew Sin had to go. The question was more of a statement really.
Her thoughts wandered back to distant memories of when her people rejoiced in the Calm as well. She was very young, but she could remember singing. And tears born of laughter. But the girl cringed inwardly, how happy had Yuna been those nights, knowing the absence of Sin meant her father was dead? She must have been the only one in all of Spira, whose tears were not of joy.
……….A Summoner?
No!
Rikku’s hand went rigid atop Yuna’s shoulder, for a moment she forgot to breathe. The world seemed to spin. She broke back from her newfound kin with a pained whimper, her legs trembing beneath her. The young thief balled her hands into fists to fight back the swell of emotion. But it was too much.
This could not be happening! The pilgrimage, it was suicide! Rikku had been given the gift of new kin, only to have Sin take the girl away! And not by some fear brought to life. But by choice, Yuna was intending to die.
The air grew suffocating with Sin’s shadow, she felt that terrible darkness of its aura as though the abomination was standing right beside her. Somehow, a world away, Sin had found away to get her. And it was laughing.
Her legs gave way and she fell to her knees under the weight of it all. Her arms went about her head as if to shield her, then fell to her chest. Her hands twisted together, the knuckles white from their tight grip. She shook her head, wishing it would all go away. Waiting to wake up. But truths are the hardest enemies to hide from.
She sought the strength to meet her spiraled eyes with her cousin’s. Her head wearily tilting up. Her cheeks were streaked with the tears, her moist eyes threatening that more would escape.
Her voice trembled, “…why? There, there’s gotta be a better way.”
Tears were one of the sights that Yuna couldn't bear. Becoming a Summoner, weilding the weapon with which to defeat Sin, it would vanquish those tears. No one would have to cry anymore. No one had to be afraid of going to sleep at night.
She fell to her knees, in front of the girl so that she could meet her eye to eye. She had known, all along that if her pilgrimage led her to her lost long family? She would not be able to enjoy their company for long.
But it was worth it. At least, for a little while.
Yuna moved a hand forward, wanting to comfort the girl, but drew back quickly, pressing her lips together. They turned white as she thought of a way to answer the question, probably a matching shade to Rikku's fists. "Rikku... I chose this path for myself. Years ago, I -- " Didn't want anyone to get hurt? Just wanted everyone to be able to smile again? "I'm sorry. We all know... there is no other way..."
Consequentially, the thief had no doubts now she’s be able to get the apprentice Summoner into an airship. She was half Al Bhed afterall. It was in her blood! Well, half of it.
She paused mid bounce as she caught the traces of sadness in Yuna’s expression. The momentum tailing the stop sending her stumbling a bit. “Eek! You ok?”
Another bemused blink hit her as the girls countenance shifted to happiness once again. Wow, this one was fickle! With the way the brunette seemed to shake the thought off, Rikku figured it was probably about Sin. People liked to change that subject mid thought.
The blonde reflected a vibrant smile back to her older cousin. Cousin! Awesome! “I’m glad we met too! We shoulda met like a bajillion years ago!” She shuffled her weight slightly from one foot to the other as Yuna shifted into the Yevon prayer again. It was as awkward as it was cool, what do you do when it’s not your religion? Are you supposed to bow back outta respect? A high five, did not seem appropriate. Well, she’d just ask later.
“Hey, don’t apologize! It would have been great to have grown up and stuff but we still got forever to hang out and get to know each other and stuff! You can come have dinner on our ship, and I’ll show you home! I bet we have a lot in common we don’t know about yet.”
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"Yes, we should get to know eachother," she agreed, her eyes floating up to the sky. She closed her eyes, sighing softly, before returning her gaze to the flurry of blonde in front of her. "I would really like that. To be able to meet Uncle Cid as well..." she paused. "Do you think -- it would be all right for me to go there?" her question came softly.
If the High Priests found out that she was harbouring in Al Bhed territory, maybe they would try to stop her pilgrimage, thinking that she was using sacreligious means to get ahead...
And she had to defeat Sin. She just had to.
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"Totally! I mean there must be a reason we just up and met like this, right? Things happen for a reason - and we should make the most fun of them." She offered a reassuring smile when her blue and green gaze returned, something was clearly troubling the girl. Only what? "Pops would love to meet you! I bet he'll fall right over. You _really_ look a lot like my aunt! I kept thinking I knew you from somewhere! Of course it'll be alr...oh, hrm."
It was fine with her tribe for Yuna to go there. But as for Yevon? Who knows? They did not harbor a liking of the Al Bhed, and they'd excommunicate you if you tied your shoes the wrong way. The younger girl's bounces paused as her energy was focused on plotting. Then her motions resumed, and she paced a figure eight to solidify her idea, and then hoped back before the girl upon its completion.
"Ok! So, I don't know what Yevon would think about you coming, since they don't know about us. But like, they don't have to know, right? So we just won't tell them...they don't know where we live, we kinda. Have to hide from them, so you won't tell anyone right? Otherwise it'll be fine, you'll be safe. We harbor a lot of refugees that Yevons persecuting..."
Was it alright to tell her this? She was a Yevonite afterall. But she was family! And if anything goes a head above religion, it's blood.
"We even have some summoners! You'll be fine."
It was kind of sad, having to sneak her own kin in like they were committing some terrible crime. But not nearly as sad as not doing so would be.
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Yuna retreated slightly, an hand coming up to toy with the necklance that she wore around her neck. "Do you really... think I look like my mother?" she asked, not making eye contact again. It was something that she was accustomed to.
"I never... got the chance to meet her," came her confession. "I was only about two, when -- " she trailed off, averting her eyes even more by shifting her head to the side.
This wasn't good. She couldn't start out like this. Not with family. She couldn't live forever with little cover-ups. White lies, she had always told herself they weren't so bad. As long as... you weren't hurting anyone but yourself.
"Rikku, I... there's something that I should tell you, I think."
Reply
She tilted her head slightly at the girls retreat and nervous fidgeting. It was hard to know what to attribute to the girls shyness, and what part of her reactions were the result of Rikku causing her to be uncomfortable. Though at the trail of words, she realized, she’d simply made the girl sad. It was common to lose parents, brothers, sisters. Most families were ripped apart. But that did not mean it hurt any less.
Taking a gentle step towards her cousin, she placed a hand lightly on the girl’s shoulder. Her motions calmed, and her voice was softer. “Yeah, you really do. Pops has a sphere of her, I’m sure he’d let you see it.”
Rikku paused, feeling the girls unspoken indecision. She wished the other would meet her eyes again. Maybe Yuna was going to tell her what was troubling her so much, she had a churning fear it would be that they couldn’t act like a family because of Yevon, but she pushed it aside, take things as they come.
“Huh? What is it?”
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She looked up again, her eyes shifting to the place where her cousin had laid her hand. She was caught off guard by the motion at first, but then eased into it, lifting her own hand up to place on Rikku's.
"It's... I'm sure you understand how important it is to defeat Sin, right?" she started out slowly, a lump building itself in her throat. "I remember... when I was alone in Bevelle for the first few nights -- how happy all of the people were to see that The Calm had come. My Father's.... Calm."
Yuna's two toned gaze fell forward again, focusing on the ground. She winced. Just say it! Just confess! "I have chosen..." she swallowed hard, "to become a Summoner. Like my Father before me." As the words finally made thier escape, the brunette looked up, a stone expression on her face.
Nevermind about the tears in the corners of her eyes.
Reply
Her thoughts wandered back to distant memories of when her people rejoiced in the Calm as well. She was very young, but she could remember singing. And tears born of laughter. But the girl cringed inwardly, how happy had Yuna been those nights, knowing the absence of Sin meant her father was dead? She must have been the only one in all of Spira, whose tears were not of joy.
……….A Summoner?
No!
Rikku’s hand went rigid atop Yuna’s shoulder, for a moment she forgot to breathe. The world seemed to spin. She broke back from her newfound kin with a pained whimper, her legs trembing beneath her. The young thief balled her hands into fists to fight back the swell of emotion. But it was too much.
This could not be happening! The pilgrimage, it was suicide! Rikku had been given the gift of new kin, only to have Sin take the girl away! And not by some fear brought to life. But by choice, Yuna was intending to die.
The air grew suffocating with Sin’s shadow, she felt that terrible darkness of its aura as though the abomination was standing right beside her. Somehow, a world away, Sin had found away to get her. And it was laughing.
Her legs gave way and she fell to her knees under the weight of it all. Her arms went about her head as if to shield her, then fell to her chest. Her hands twisted together, the knuckles white from their tight grip. She shook her head, wishing it would all go away. Waiting to wake up. But truths are the hardest enemies to hide from.
She sought the strength to meet her spiraled eyes with her cousin’s. Her head wearily tilting up. Her cheeks were streaked with the tears, her moist eyes threatening that more would escape.
Her voice trembled, “…why? There, there’s gotta be a better way.”
Reply
She fell to her knees, in front of the girl so that she could meet her eye to eye. She had known, all along that if her pilgrimage led her to her lost long family? She would not be able to enjoy their company for long.
But it was worth it. At least, for a little while.
Yuna moved a hand forward, wanting to comfort the girl, but drew back quickly, pressing her lips together. They turned white as she thought of a way to answer the question, probably a matching shade to Rikku's fists. "Rikku... I chose this path for myself. Years ago, I -- " Didn't want anyone to get hurt? Just wanted everyone to be able to smile again? "I'm sorry. We all know... there is no other way..."
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