FicWad

Rikku sat on the cold stone path leading up to the Farplane, thinking about memories. More specifically, those memories people saw in the Farplane, and how reliable they were. She wondered who she would see on the Farplane, if she ever went there. She didn't remember her mother, and didn't know Yuna's parents at all. She probably wouldn't see anyone, she figured, or they'd only be partly there. And that would be the scary part. Because how well could you trust that the memories you have of people are the right ones? And how could they talk to a bunch of pyreflies as if their relatives were really there?

"Memories are more real when they are kept inside, you know?" she said quietly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the crimson coat move, and she turned to face Auron.

"Hmm?" Auron looked as if he'd been pulled from his thoughts, but wasn't mad about it. He looked over his smoked glasses at Rikku. She felt a little embarrassed.

She said, "It doesn't really matter... I was just thinking out loud, that's all." She almost wished he had heard, though. Well, she might as well start a conversation while she had his attention. This place made her feel sad and upset. "So, why are you waiting here? Don't need to see your memories, either?"

She wasn't prepared for his response. He looked directly at her, and said, "I see them every day, whether I like it or not." Again, he didn't look angry with her, just sad in a distant way.

Well, she couldn't really say anything about /that/, so she stayed quiet for a while. A cold breeze blew across her arms, and she rubbed her hands across them to warm them up. Sideways glances at Auron's cloak followed, in hopes that he would get the point. He just stayed quiet, sitting there like some statue. Rikku wished she could make him feel a little better about things, but he never seemed to get it. She figured that was why he never tried to make anyone else feel better.

She sneaked a look at him from over one shoulder, and realised he'd been looking at her for a while. She felt the urge to make him feel better again, even though it would be no use. And then she actually noticed how he looked. He was pale, almost translucent, and the way he sat still looked to be because he was that weak.

"Are you okay?" she said. "I mean, you don't look too good." She thought she could sense sarcasm in Auron's smile. She'd have to learn how to smile like that one day, she decided.

"Your concern is touching," he said, and there was definitely sarcasm this time. His voice had sounded a little hoarse and weak. Rikku wondered if it could be an allergy to something in Guadosalam. There was a lot of odd stuff here that you didn't get in other places.

Thinking about allergies made Rikku think about food, and the things she'd picked up from Seymour's table. It had all looked so good, and it was just sitting there, so she'd taken a few things for later. Although, it seemed that Auron could use something to eat right now.

"Want an apple?" she offered. Auron just shook his head. Rikku brought it out anyway. The red skin of it glowed in the soft light. She was about to bite into it... when it occurred to her that he might just be saying that. It'd be just like Auron to refuse something, even though he needed it.

Rikku threw the apple to him. She felt pleased when he caught it. "Take it anyway," she said, "I've got some more."

When he bit into the apple, she gave a silent cheer. Though he could look a little more happy about it, she thought. It looked crisp and fresh, even though it might have bruised just a little on the way there. But he was eating it like he did everything - as if it was his duty. It took a lot of the triumph off.

He finished it in record time, and tossed the core over the side of the path. Rikku was a little surprised at that, and couldn't help looking over to see where it had landed. She couldn't see the core, so she guessed that was alright. At least they wouldn't get into trouble for ruining sacred ground or anything like that. She sat back down, and looked over at Auron again. He did seem to look a bit better.

He must have noticed her. "Thank you," he said, and turned away to face the abyss again. Rikku wondered why, but did the same. It became obvious once Tidus came striding back from inside the Farplane a moment later.

Rikku was aware of saying something, but her thoughts were elsewhere. She could still smell the tang of that apple on the air, and it was making her feel hungry. There was another apple in there, she remembered. She took the apple from her stash and started to eat it. She had been right. The apple was crisp, and it tasted delicious.

Then she had the thought that it might not be right to eat in this place, especially not when Wakka was around, so she put the apple back. But, she figured, it had to be okay if Auron had eaten here.

But when the figure of Jyscal Guado penetrated through the Farplane walls a while later, Rikku instantly felt guilty. It didn't occur to her at that moment to think that his appearance wasn't because she had broken a taboo. And Auron did nothing to reassure her, even though he must have seen how worried she was.

But, later, he did reassure her somewhat, and she rationalised about what the real cause must have been. Later, she even decided that it must have been that which let him break through from the Farplane, and she felt a little happier about it. She should have known that Auron wouldn't make a huge mistake like that, even if she would.