Story: Midnight Flight (chapter 2)

Authors: AnsticeVolk

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Chapter 2

Title: Hijacking the Ex-Summoner

[Author's notes:

Yeah...this is the 2nd chapter...again...no character owning and on with the sentences.

]

People seldom refuse help, if one offers it in the right way.
                                                            -A.C. Benson

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            Two shadows slink behind some trees and silently creep up towards the village.  Keepa, obviously drunk, is staggering through the middle of the village, yawns, and stretches before sitting down in front of one of the tents.  "Ku ynuiht dra pylg xieadmo yht lusa eh vnus dra udran ceta,” Paine whispers to the thief.

“E's uh ed, Paine.”

            The blonde tiptoes around the tent that they know Yuna is in and enters through the back.  Paine throws a rock into the woods behind the tent Keepa is sitting in front of; the goalie snorts and gets up to see what it was.  The warrior enters the tent to see Rikku waiting for her with a smile.  The two look down on the cot and see Yuna with her arms wrapped around Tidus tightly.  Seeing how they can’t do as they planned, grab and go, Paine grimaces at the sight and picks up a chocobo feather from the nightstand.  Touching it ever-so-gently on the gunner’s back, it causes Yuna to release her man and roll over on her back.

            Rikku jumps slightly with glee until Tidus reaches over and grabs Yuna’s arm.  Paine, resisting the urge to punch him in his face, leans over the cot and tickles his ear with the feather.  Tidus smiles and rubs his ear on his shoulder.  “Heh, Yuna cut it out.”

            Faint blushes crawl up the conscious girls’ necks and make them look at each other.  Shaking her head, Paine resumes her irritating tactic on Tidus’ ear.  He lets go of Yuna’s arm and scratches his ear and stretches both arms above his head.  Relaxing into the cot, he continues sleeping.  “Knyp ran.”

            Rikku takes her cousin’s arms as Paine takes her feet.  They lift her to the ground quickly before Tidus got hold of her again.  Now in the sand, Yuna curls onto her side and snuggles her head into her arms.  Paine sighs as she picks her up.  She walks to the opening and abruptly stops before retreating, quickly, back into the tent.  Leaning her head to look outside, Paine shifts the gunner’s weight in her arms.  “Tyshed...Rikku, ku uid dra pylg yht dno yht tnyf Keepa pylg ehdu dra fuutc.”

            The Al Bhed nods and crawls out the back of the tent.  She finds a stick and throws it towards the trees behind Keepa.  Apparently sticks don’t go as far as rocks and Keepa is nailed in the forehead.  Rikku hears a faint curse, from what sounds like Paine, and scrunches her nose in how could she hit him right in the head.  Keepa stares down and tries to focus his vision on the stick.  A sloppy grin forms on his greasy face as he stands up mumbling something about Botta being annoying.  “Bot-Botta!  I know you-you threw that stick at me, ya.  Just wait until-hic-I find you.”

            The drunkard swaggered towards the temple and held onto the stick like a sword.  Seeing he was far enough away, Paine dashed out of the tent and made a beeline away from the village.  The warrior stopped at the clearing and turned back to find Rikku.  The thief was nowhere to be found.  Figuring she was already to the Celsius by now, Paine turned around and almost dropped Yuna.  Rikku was standing there with the biggest smile gracing her features.  “Thank you so much Paine.  I am really-”

            “Shhh, now’s not the time Rikku,” Paine interrupts the thief, “tell me when we get back on the ship and lie Yuna down, okay?’

            “O-Okay.  Right…let’s go.”

            On the deck of the Celsius, Paine was lying down with her hands behind her head as Rikku jumped around.  Yuna was in the cabin, still sleeping, as Barkeep was busy keeping Brother out of the room.  “She’s back Paine!  She’s really back!  Right now, as we speak, she is sleeping just below us in the bed she always used to sleep in.”

            “Keep bouncing around like that and she won’t be sleeping for long.”

            The blonde stopped leaping around and tilted her head to the side.  Pursing her lips together, Rikku looked at the ground and rocked back and forth from heel to toe.  The warrior closed her eyes and sighed, feeling the wind wisp around her form.  Feeling warmth on her forehead, her eyes bolted open to find Rikku leaning over her, lips pressed against her skin.  A small giggle escaped the blonde’s lips when she saw the fainted tint of red on Paine’s cheeks.  Rikku lied down next to Paine and shifted closer.  Playing with the older girl’s metal studs, Rikku spoke softly, “Thank you a whole lot, Paine.  I can’t even begin to express how happy I am that Yunie is back.  No one had ever done anything like that for me, and I-“

            “Don’t worry about it.  Honestly, I missed the girl a little too.”

            Rikku smiled and quickly hugged Paine and rolled onto her back.  The two stared up at the sky as it stared back down on them.  Rikku’s breath began to slow and in a matter of minutes she was sleeping with a smile on her face.  Paine stayed on the deck for another hour and until she saw the thief shiver she would have stayed there until morning.  Sitting up, she stretched and looked at the thief.  The blonde’s hair caressed her face and the warrior knew that gorgeous emerald eyes hid behind those closed lids.  The girl was amazing, simply put.  She was care-free, kind towards anyone, beautiful, great sense of humor, and really just a great person to be around.  How could someone not fall for her?  Paine sighed and rubber her forehead.  She’s wonderful.  She does her own thing and it gets her by.  Her clumsiness should’ve gotten her into more trouble than it has but she always finds a way to squirm out of it.  She’s overly friendly at times and just anyone can take advantage of it…yet she is strong enough to take care of herself.  She said that no one helped her like I did.  Maybe I now have special place in her heart.  Maybe…

Rikku shivered again and this time Paine stood and picked her up.  Carrying the young girl to the elevator, Paine felt her curl up into her and continue sleeping.  The warrior couldn’t help but smile and close her eyes as the elevator doors slid shut.  The only sound was the soft breathing of the blonde and the beating of Paine’s heart.  Ding.  The elevator opened and Paine carried Rikku into the cabin.  Stepping through the doors and past the bar, the silver haired girl brings Rikku up to her bed near the stairs.  Paine became slightly jealous at how Yuna always had the bed next to Rikku’s.  Tucking the Al Bhed under the covers, Paine walked across the room to her bed and climbed in.

 I’m glad that Rikku’s happy.  She was starting to look like shit for a while there.  Paine grinned a little.  At least now she and her cousin can bond again.  Tidus better not take Yuna away from Rikku like that again…and Yuna better not forget all about Rikku.  She deserves better than that…for all she has done for her.  She better…not…

            Paine drifts off into sleep, her thoughts still with her, not knowing what would be ahead for her the next day.

Translations: Go around the back quietly and come in from the other side.
I'm on it, Paine.
Grab her.
Damnit...Rikku, go out the back and try and draw Keepa back into the woods.

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A.N.  Yeah well that is all…I kinda like this story…maybe just a little.  Anyways, please review cause they make me feel like a happy school girl…wait…I technically am.  They make me feel coooool!  Yeah, heh, thanx for reading.

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