Everything Looks Better Ch. 08

Crawling back, Raine was about to get up.

"Choose me."

Raine froze.

"Choose me, Raine," Auron said with a drowsy lilt and smacked his lips again.

Shifting the coverlet over his shoulder, she touched his damp hair, brushing it from his face. His tail was twisted on the floor behind him, the pink, blue polka-dot ribbon still holding together his sloppy braid. "Always," Raine whispered, planting another quick kiss on his forehead and padding to the door.

It didn't occur to her until later that "choose me" meant something different for Auron than it did for her.

Downstairs, in the main shop, Rin was taking off his heavy coat, stomping his boots free of snow. Under, he wore a yellow jacket open to expose his bare chest and strange red choker.

"Summoner Raine," he said, throwing his coat up on a hook. "Did you enjoy your dinner?"

"I did, thanks," she said, decided against telling him how bland the meat was and flavorless the corn turned out.

His tan, leathery face wrinkled in a large smile as he promptly approached her, shaking her hand in both of his, like this morning when they first met, but then his eyes flashed in concern. "Summoner Raine, you've been crying."

"A little," she said, although she was sure her eyes were nearly puffed shut.

She thought for a moment he looked a little misty-eyed himself. He smelled good, his cologne spicy, and he cleared his throat, talking with the choppy rhythm of his Al Behd accent. "You will have to excuse me, Summoner. You look exactly like your brother. The hair, the eyes."

"You knew my brother?"

"Of course. He is very well-known. Your father, too." There was a devious glint in his eye. "You and your brother must have been graced with your mother's looks?"

Raine smiled and self-consciously ran a hand through her hair. Not today.

"I encouraged your brother to learn the Al Behd language. He became decent at understanding it, although I'm not sure how much he could speak."

"Al Behd...you must know Rikku, then?"

He looked surprised. "Sir Auron has talked about the Al Behd?"

"A little. It's difficult to get a lot out of him."

Rin chuckled.

"What else do you know about Auron, er, Sir Auron?"

Rin hesitated and motioned behind the counter to a couple stools. "Come, sit."

Raine hopped up on one, Rin on the other. He began to eye her cloak warily.

"You are wearing his coat."

"Oh," Raine said, flushing. "Yes. To cover my pajamas." She realized her reserve was probably a bit of overkill, glancing at Rin's bare chest.

Rin's eyes found the sparkle of her wedding ring and he studied it in a way that made Raine pull the sleeve of Auron's cloak down to hide it.

"I don't think I've ever seen Sir Auron without his red cloak. I don't believe many have."

"He's...sleeping."

"Ah," he said with a strange grin that made her blush again. "It appears you and Sir Auron are...close?"

"I've known him since I was little, when he was friends with Tidus." She reminded herself not to mention Zanarkand.

"I see." He gave a side nod, furrowing his eye brows earnestly and shook his head, as though dismissing an idea. "Right, you wanted to know about Sir Auron."

"Yes, please."

"Is there a certain aspect you are most curious about? I don't know much about him, either, but I can try."

"You saw the Pyreflies outside just now?" Raine asked.

Rin gave a careful nod and Raine's belly curled with dread. He knew.

"So it's true?" she whispered. "He's unsent?"

"Oh my dear, I was afraid of this." He sighed. "Well, I do not believe he told Tidus until far into the pilgrimage, either, if it makes you feel better."

"How did Auron die?"

"I believe the scar on his face was the deathblow."

"By whom?"

"Legend says Yunalesca. After Jecht and Braska died, they say Auron went back to confront Yunalesca and was mortally wounded. He made his way, somehow, through Mount Gagazet and was found by a Ronso."

"Kimarhi?"

"Correct. Kimarhi brought him to my branch in the Calm Lands and left for Bevelle to find Lady Yuna. Auron had been tasked by Braska and Jecht to take care of their offspring. Sir Auron is quite legendary, but to be in two places at once is still beyond his capabilities. He died sometime in the night."

Raine shuddered. He had nearly died again from her goof in the mirror. "Yunalesca...she gives the Final Aeon, doesn't she?"

"Summoner Raine, I don't claim to be an expert in any of Yevon's customs, but yes, that's how the story goes."

"My father was Sin and my brother was Sin and soon someone else will be Sin...when does it stop?"

"Yevon believes when the people of Spira have atoned."

"For what?"

"Various things. Mostly for relying on machina."

"That's insane."

Rin gave a sideways nod. "You are not alone in your thinking. The Al Behd have a slightly different take on Sin and Yu Yevon and their part in Spira."

"What's that?"

Rin folded his arms and leaned back more comfortably in his chair. "The sacrifice of a Summoner is a ritual upheld by the leaders of the Yevon religion. To believe something else is blasphemy, which is why the Al Behd are considered heathens by most of Spira. We do not believe a Summoner's sacrifice has to be made to defeat Sin. For good, that is."

"How do you think Sin can be beaten?"

"Oh, I could not really say," he said humbly, "but Sin is really just a mass of fiends and Pyreflies and could theoretically be defeated by a large amount of machina. Some say if the core of Sin is also destroyed, it would eliminate Sin's capability to be reborn."

"Reborn? You mean, like my brother was?"

"As I understand," Rin said.

"Auron says Tidus and my father were chosen by their Summoners. He says when I face Yunalesca, I should pick him."

Rin tapped his lips. "Interesting."

"What is?"

"That he was not picked at the last pilgrimage. Since he is already unsent, it would have spared your brother's life."

Raine sat up straight.

"Not for lack of trying, I am sure," Rin said, holding up a hand to contain her conclusions. "The bond between Guardian and Summoner must be strong, so I can see why Yuna's first choice of Sir Auron wasn't accepted. When you get to Zanarkand Ruins, it will be Yunalesca's choice in the end. I am sure this time, it will be different."

Did he say...Zanarkand Ruins? Raine squinted. "Zanarkand what?"

Rin blanched under his tan skin. "Excuse me, Summoner Raine. Sometimes my native tongue gets mixed in with everyday speech. I meant to say when you get to Yunalesca, it will be her choice in the end."

"It sounded like you said 'Zanarkand Ruins.'" How did Rin know about Zanarkand? Did Auron tell him?

Rin grinned, looking very puzzled for a moment. Then he leaned toward her conspiratorially. "You know, when I first saw you come in, I saw your ring and I thought Auron had taken on a wife."

Raine skewed her head at his sudden subject change and was about to set the innkeeper straight, but Rin shook his head quickly in apology.

"Of course, that was my error. Auron was not too happy when I mentioned this."

Raine narrowed her eyes, trying to sort out the misunderstanding and gave a half smile.

"Could you imagine, though? Yunalesca could never say no to a married bond, could she?"

Raine's face fell as she too realized this.

"Summoner Raine?" The innkeeper regarded her changed expression with curiosity and reached across to touch her hand. "You're as white as a wraith."

Choose me.

Auron wanted Raine to choose him for the Final Summoning, but Raine realized he wasn't about to be turned down a second time. To ensure Yunalesca's acceptance, Auron had made sure to tip the scales in his favor.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Raine dryly laughed to cover up the sound of her heart breaking. "Excuse me, I'm just feeling a little foolish."

"Oh dear, was it something I said?"

"It's just-" she said and pulled her hand out of the sleeve to show him the ring. The pear-shaped diamond sparked in the low light. "Auron and I are married."