Stranger in Port (Private)

[rikku]

The portal swirled into being, twisting and turning like some living, breathing thing in the darkness of the Port Royal night. It pulsed, waiting....

"Aaaaaaaah!"

The slim form stumbled backward out of the inky shroud as if pushed, landing hard on the cobblestone courtyard. Blonde hair fanned everywhere, her gloved hands slapping flat against the ground in an attempt to save herself any further injury, but failed- the momentum sent her over backward, her head and back hitting the ground with a dull thump. Eyes squinted shut, the pain lancing threw her head and whole body as the black portal flashed out of existence.

"Ouchie......"

Rikku pushed herself up into a sit, her boots kicked out in front of her. Hand lifted, running threw her hair to make sure she wasn't bleeding. Not her most graceful landing- she had been running from those little black... things! Paine had gone left, she had gone right, then-

This place. Question was... where was 'this place'? And how the heck did she get back? With a groan, the little Al Bhed pushed herself to her feet and dusted herself off.... the chill of the air caused a parade of goosebumps up her arms, a shiver trembling down her spine. Ok... normal clothing was not gonna work.

Not sure want would work as a good look for here, Rikku went with the old standby- a quick look around into the dark of the courtyard only revealed a few sailors and guards. She sidestepped into the dark, using a pile of crates to hide her transformation. A flash of light, a swirl of the sea air, and Rikku muttered.

She really hated this dress sphere- but it worked. Not as revealing as her normal thief, or the black mage; not as out of place as her favored Samurai... but it worked. Hands brushed over the pale fabric, settling the garb of the White Mage sphere into place. Now... to find out where the heck she was...

Fingers worked to make sure she looked better then she felt, her body bruised and sore- Rikku sent out into Port Royal to see what answers she could find.

[auron]

The ship came sailing into the Port Royal with a certain at its front. He had heard from the Coliseum that this would be a good place to find some information. all he was interested in was rumors about certain people, not even the places that he was important to Auron. He would find his way back to Spira in due time, first he had to find out where his friends had traveled to.

Were they still in Spira? Bevelle, Besaid and Luca....neither was exactly a bad place to live. Something hinted on when he met a trio of heroes though suggested that somehow, some people from his world could have ended up here. He didn't to find out for sure if that was the exact truth, and just who would be traveling this far away from home.

Shades were slid halfway down the bridge of his nose as the dark and gray striped hair warrior looked out to the bubbling town that was held before him. Everyone seemed in good spirits but Auron wasn't the type to let his guard wander down. He wasn't here to relax or enjoy himself, though he barely knew even what it was to rest up these days. From one struggle to another, that was the life of the cunning fighter.

Bump came as the ship was halted, Auron turning and jumping off the boat. No word of thanks was needed or given, a simple glance over his shoulder and nod to the Captain of the vessel all that needed to be done. Fewer words spoken was the better option for Auron, especially as he knew so little about the people that lived here. There was no point in waiting though, his strides steady and composed as he walked along the walkway and towards the actual town center.

A seedier side of life wasn't any hindrance to Auron, his holy views vanished the moment he realized the truth over the Yevon religion. Maybe it would be nice to have a break away from all that heated contesting in the lands of Spira, yet he seemed so incomplete being away, like he knew that he needed something or someone else alongside him.

Eyes glanced around when he looked upon someone dressed in white. The shining angelic color was almost blinding to his eyes, Auron looking over wondering if they were truly from this place. He couldn't get a clear enough view to see the face, dangles of blond hair the only clues that he could see. It was a strange enough place already with the pirates and sailors, but one who looked a little like a cleric? almost like a white mage angel! He favored her with a faint smile, the ones he often reserved for his friends.

Taking his eyes away from the little lady Auron looked up to the swinging board outside the tavern of the Port. This seemed like a good place to start and with a few more strides he stepped up and through the door, pushing the door open and seeking a chair inside. He found a table in one of the corners, dropping himself down to the chair silently as he scanned over everyone in the room, analyzing who they all were and wondering which he should talk to about his future plans.

[rikku]

Man... ok, maybe white hadn't been her best idea. But all her other spheres wouldn't work here! Rikku began to think that this might involve actually buying new clothing to fit here; none of her dress spheres had anything to do with the way these people where dressed!! Fingers curled around the staff as she gave a rather dejected sigh, her feet scuffing little puffs of dust on the path as she wandered the city.

What was she gonna do?! She didn't even know where to start looking... Paine, Yunie.... what the heck was going on? She didn't know where she was, but she knew it wasn't Spira. For one, if Yevon thought the Al Bhed had been back, this place would have been burned to the ground long before they had taken shots as Home, that was for sure... as far as she could tell, it was sometime in the middle of the night, and the music and voices from the taverns were nearly deafening.

Unsure of where to go from here, Rikku scooted out of the main road to the safety of a closed shop's doorway, watching the people wandering past... none of them looked even remotely like anyone she had ever met, species or person wise. Not one-

Rikku's heart nearly stopped, her eyes wide under the shadow of the mage's hood. Fingers tightened on the staff, her knuckles going almost white with the grip as she blinked at the man. No way..... no way!! She tilted her head, looking at him. There was no chance it could be- he smiled, the glasses slipping a little down his nose against to give a good look at the weathered features and the telltale scar.....

The smile flashed over her face. Alright!!! Sure it wasn't Yunie or Paine, but Auron was far from a bad find. Still.... Rikku couldn't help but think her mind was playing some twisted trick on her... after all, she had stood there and watched as Yuna had sent the veteran warrior to the lands of the Dead. And yet.... it sure looked like Auron.

He didn't speak, instead turning toward one of the lit doorways. She didn't wait, pushing away to follow him before she could talk herself out of it. After all, she couldn't afford to loose him until she knew if it was really him- if it wasn't, maybe at least he would be friendly enough to help a girl out? And if it was... well, Rikku would deal with that if it was...

Shouldering her way threw the crowded common room of the Tavern, she did her best to follow her Mark as it were, threw the rabble and into the back, darker parts of the room. Figures. She watched him take a seat, wondering if it was wise to just walk up... after all, she didn't know if he had really seen her or not....

Still, Rikku's feet seemed to have made up their own minds, padding across the warm, noise floor toward the table that Auron was seated at. She slowed a little, her eyes blinking rapidly as if she expected any moment for him to turn out to someone else.

"Um... "

He didn't, leaving Rikku a stern choice. Speak, stand there like a idiot, or Run like a chicken. Tho option 3 sounded more and more like the better idea, Rikku really figured out that wasn't gonna help any.

"Tis other seat taken? "

Okay, probably not her quickest witty comment. Tilting her head up, she freed one hand from her death grip on the staff, fingers snagging the braids that dangled along her face and tugged them aside as she favored the man with her best, innocent smile. All or nothing, right?

[auron]

Auron had just settled into his chair when he saw the lady in white come towards him. For a moment he wondered who she was, looking up to her as she moved with grace and fluid motions. Was she an angel sent to pull him back to the afterlife? if she was then she would have one fight on her hands! cause Auron didn't want to go back where he was dead and merely a bunch of pyreflies. He wanted to live and breathe, to feel the wind upon his freshly shaved face. To know what it was like to taste the freshly picked berries in the morning, to cherish once more the touch of a young lady upon his skin.

It was those kind of wonders that had Auron looking forward to this new leash of life he had been given. His hand though resisted the temptation to curl around the handle of his blade. First he would give them a chance to speak. One chance was all he was going to give though, Auron setting his sake jug on the table and his sword leaning against the rim of the table as he looked up to the woman.

Blond....bouncy....sparkling smile? Auron looked up and though his mouth didn't drop wide, his eyes did bulge open a little. Hand immediately let go of his jug as it wobbled and started to spill out, tossing around the table. Auron didn't seem that interested in it though, his eyes staying glancing up to the young Rikku who had aged in the past couple of years.

Longer strands of hair had replaced the shorter ones, robe hiding the figure of the young lass so Auron couldn't tell how much more she had grown, but by the looks of her mature face it was greatly. Auron was well and truly surprised, having to take a small cough first before he could answer. His voice was the same but a little weaker in the first few words as he tried to remember how he was meant to sound. It had been such a long time.

"Oh umm...not at all. Take a seat..."

Hand reached over as Auron hastily turned his focus to the sake jug, mumbling under his breath. He scolded himself for spilling the drink, being too distracted for his own good. He must have slipped during his time in the underworld, but he would make sure not to make the same mistakes again. He waited for Rikku to take a seat, turning his head back in her direction as he gave a light smile to the lady girl. It had been awhile...auron not sure what was coming over him.

"Its been awhile Rikku, i see you are doing well for yourself. I didn't recognize you when you came in, i think i still expected you to be the Al Bhed girl who dressed the same way as before."

[rikku]

"Yea, been a while... almost 3 years or so now, hasn't it been?"

Rikku blushed a little, the laughter escaping her lips a dead giveaway to confirm her identity. She turned and, her hands gathering the robes in them, dropped into the seat across from Auron with a boneless, careless grace. Resting the staff against the side of the table, she leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. She couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious at his comment- what, she didn't look Al Bhed?

"Well... I don't normally wear this. I was trying to blend a little. You know, stay low and under everyone's senses? Didn't work really well tho- white isn't the best color I guess."

[auron]

Three years!? time indeed had passed yet it was valid reason for the umm...transformation in Rikku. Her cute young girls face was now the vision of a sexy blossoming woman. Auron wasn't sure if she was half like she was those years ago, not that he pictured him being missing would have any kind of effect, but people always end up growing up.

Smile escaped his lips as he heard her laughter, goodness it was go great to be back. All the small things had been missed in life, just hanging around a tavern with his friends. It was the small things he had missed, afterall Rikku wasn't exactly tall. Auron tried to bury the smile though, hiding it in his collar a little as he looked over his shades to Rikku as she sat down across from him.

"Ey, you often did manage to somehow standout. Do not worry yourself though, my eyes are well trained to recognize so i doubt anyone else in this place will know you. Well..."

The thought passed Auron's mind but it was unspoken, exactly what has Rikku been doing these past 3 years? She wandered in on her own but was she living here? didn't seem like it by her mentioning she was trying to blend in. So at least that meant she didn't have a home, or someone waiting at home. Geez what was he thinking!?

Auron lifted up his sake jug trying to distract his line of thoughts as he settled it to the floor beside them. His eyes laid back onto Rikku, his one hand tapping at the center of the table whilst his other was held within his large red jacket.

"I assume you haven't started to live around here? i am not sure where here is exactly, care to enlighten me on the happenings of the past few years?"