Time To Meet The Praetor?

[Kiwi]

Rikku's face went instantly red and she glared at him. Then she reacted how any girl would have reacted in this situation: She smacked him hard across the face making sure it would hurt. "Gippal, that is the most disgustingly wrong, perverted and nasty thing I've ever heard!" she yelled angrily whipping out her dangers. "You sicko, you you....sicko!" She couldn't believe he'd do that, even if it was Gippal that was drastic. "Oui'na cilr y lnaab Gippal, naymmo oui yna. Yht cdub knehhehk! Drana'c hu naycuh du kneh. Oui'ja naymmo ycgat vun ed drec desa. E's kuehk du lrub uvv ajano cehkma cdnyht uv pmuhta ryen uvv uv ouin rayt!" she yelled pointing both daggers at his head. "E cikkacd oui tu cusadrehk du nataas ouincamv un E sekrd aht ib gemmehk oui!"

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"I didn't mean now, I meant when everything gets back to normal." she told him walking out of the large doors, glad to be outside in the fresh air. "I may not know you that well, but it already seems to me that you have way too many things on your hands. Yeah, you may be the Praetor and I'm sure almost everyone is counting on you to do things, but you need to live your life, too. I mean you're twenty-one! That's way too much work for you, you should be having fun. Don't live without actually living." Azul leaned against the stone wall thing, gazing down at the waterfalls. "The world has so many things to offer..." she said, "You better start now or you won't get to experience any of it."

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As they spoke a pair of emerald green eyes watched them from the shadows. A wide grin was spread across a shady face. Someone was waiting for the right time to finally become noticed. The eyes were locked on Azul, admiring everything about her. 'Well longtime no see, princess.' the someone thought, 'Hope you remember me...'cause I remember you perfectly...'.

[Strawberry]

Gippal just stared at her in surprise, his hand reaching up to touch the area she smacked, and looked at his hand to make sure it wasn't bleeding. It sure as hell felt like it should be. But when she pulled out her daggers, Gippal acted instantly and moved backward, tripping on his feet and falling down, but instantly rolling and leaping to his feet again. His back hit the hallway wall and he stood hunched over slightly, still looking at her. "Hey, hey, Cid's girl! Calm down for just a second! It was a joke, jesus! Not even I would actually look up your damn towel," he said, his voice edged with anger slightly. But he was telling the truth and if he couldn't get it through to her, he'd just up and leave like he normally did.

"You sound like a fortune cookie, you know that?" he said, looking over at her and smiling. No one had actually told him, or rather sounded like they were commanding him, to live and get away from the life of a Praetor before. It felt pretty good and he really did hope he could get a break some time. Just as he was about to speak, an itch seemed to stick on the back of his neck, something bothering him. He looked down the road casually, but no one was in sight. He then leaned toward Azul slightly and whispered quietly. "I think we should keep going. Someone's watching us and I'm not exactly sure if they're the type to say a simple greeting or not.." Baralai took her wrist loosely and began walking as if nothing was wrong, but he was still alert.

[Kiwi]

"It better have been a joke Gippal, you better start praying to Yevon that I believe you." she said, voice still a bit angry, but far less she had has been. Rikku put her daggers away and leaned closer to him, examining where she had smacked him. "Sorry for hitting you," she apologized hoping it didn't hurt him too bad. "But maybe it'll teach you not to say things like that, it's not exactly funny." She was still looking at his face, "Hmm you need something for it? Maybe a cool rag would help, if it burns...I really didn't mean to hit you too hard." Rikku frowned slightly, not feeling bad that she had hurt him when he was only joking. She should have known it was only a joke, I mean he wasn't a total pervert...she knew he would never do something like that. "Yeah, hold on." she told him rushing into the room, coming back in a few minutes with a nice damp rag in her hand. Rikku pressed it against the side of his face where she had smacked him, "Just hold it there and it should feel better."

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Azul laughed, "A fortune cookie? I've never been called that before." she said face slightly red again. She blinked when he mentioned someone was watching them, which caused her to glance around. Her eyes went wide and a grin formed on her face. "Kieran!" she called out excitedly. The person had finally come into view, the grin still on his face. He walked over to her only to be greeted by a huge hug. "Good to see you, too, Princess." he told her in a charming voice, "I was hoping you'd remember me." Azul laughed again, smiling up at him. "How could I not remember you? Silly." she said hoping her face wouldn't get anymore red. Yet it did at his next comment, "You're looking lovelier every-time I see you." he said. Azul bit her lip, he always did have a way with words and she always found herself blushing around him. "You're not so bad yourself, is that a new tattoo?" she asked glancing at his arm. He nodded, "Yeah it is, what do ya think?" he said wondering. She shrugged, "It's alright, I'm not a big fan on tattoo's but it's cool." Kieran glanced behind her to see Baralai. "Ah, the Praetor of New Yevon. It's an honor to finally meet you sir," he said to him kindly. Oh how his acting skills worked great. He sounded completely honest and truthful, creepy isn't it?

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[Strawberry]

During the whole thing, he only stared at her. Women and moodswings.. One minute she wants to chop my head off with her daggers and the next she's apologizing for slapping me... he thought, still looking as dumb as ever. When she pressed the damp cloth to his face, his mind snapped back to reality and he tilted his head a little to the right. "Well.. it doesn't change the fact that it's the same as skirts..." he said, smirking slightly. His hand had closed around her own that was holding the cloth, meant to take it away and start walking to Djose, but he didn't. "We should get going..."

Baralai regarded him slightly, nodding at his comment. He wasn't really sure if he could trust him, coming out of no where so suddenly, but how can he judge so quickly? He glanced at Azul, then back the new arrival. "Well, I'll be going on my way. I can't let something this important go. Sorry I couldn't stay and talk longer," he said before passing the two. There was just something about the man that nagged at Baralai at the back of his mind, but if he was a good acquaintance of Azul's then he shouldn't bother. So why was it bothering him so much?

[Kiwi]

Rikku elbowed him gently, "Your jokes are really gross you know that? Guttermind..." she mumbled still holding the damp cloth to his face. "Don't make me slap you on the other side." She smiled at him, "Not hungry anymore? I thought you wanted to get breakfast." she told him with a smirk. "But you're right, we should get going. I guess I can leave Azul here...hopefully whatever was going on between her and Baralai is over."

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Azul blinked, "Hey wait for me!" she exclaimed. She started to run after him then quickly turned around waving to Kieran. "It was nice seeing you again! See you soon!" she yelled to him and went back to catching up with Baralai. Kieran stared after them, eyes narrowed in a glare. 'What the Hell? She'd rather go with him then stay with me? Urg....I'll make sure that never happens again.' he swore silently still glaring at them, but not at her...he was glaring at Baralai. 'Stupid Leader of the Yevonites....how dare you take my Azul from me...you will pay...'. Kieran scowled and quickly disappeared without a trace, it was like he had never been there. Azul smiled over at Baralai, "Hmm, something wrong? You seemed like you wanted to get away as soon as he walked over..." she commented tilting her head curiously. She sighed, he didn't exactly accept her offer so why was she sticking by him? Azul could have stayed to talk with her old friend, but she ran off after him. 'Bleh...what's wrong with me?' she silently asked herself, 'I'm starting to act like his 'friend'.' It made her cringe slightly, she was not about to be like her at all. Never.

[Strawberry]

Gippal wore a grin on his face, his brow raised. "That wasn't a joke. That was pure fact because anyone would know it's the same thing," he said, taking her hand from his face yet keeping it in his hand, along with the rag, and began walking down the hallway. "Nah. I think I can wait until we get to Djose. Hopefully they made something to eat.."

He shook his head quickly. "No, no it wasn't him. It was just that I need to get to the Calm Lands. I can't be stopping for chit chat, no matter how rude it is, because something might be happening or we could miss something important and it would throw everything off course," he said, being casual even though he was lying. He just didn't trust the guy for some odd reason and he felt guilty for feeling that way, seeing as Azul pretty much liked him. Baralai looked away from her, cursing at himself mentally. "Are you sure you wanna come? Who knows what kind of fiends we'll run into. I don't want you going off hurting yourself for my sake."

[Kiwi]

She rolled her eyes, "I know. But still, your mind is always in the gutter it seems." she said walking alongside him. Rikku nodded, "Yeah hopefully," she remarked to his comment about them making food. "That way you won't get crushed by some big machina hmm?" She laughed slightly, glancing up at him for second then back at the ground. "You still need to be careful though...you know. Wouldn't want anything happening to you or anything..."

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"Oh heh....of course, I knew that..." she said in response to his lie. She believed him. Azul blinked, wondering if that was really the truth or not. She sighed wishing she knew, it was hard to believe him...but also hard to distrust him. Her eyes narrowed at his last comment, "I'm tougher than I look." she said bitterly looking away from him. "Who said I was going just for you? I'm only coming to get my Chocobo." It pricked her last nerve, he was practically calling her weak and that wasn't her at all. She knew how to fight and how to fight well. She stared agitatedly at the ground not bothering to look up at him. "Erg...I should have stayed to talk with Kieran." she mumbled.

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[Strawberry]

"Heh, like anything would happen to me. Look, I'm in good shape and excellent health. Nothing like a machina piece is going to bring me down so easily," he said. As soon as they had reached the front doors, he noticed that he hadn't seen Baralai at all in the halls. He looked behind them in case he might be there, but no sign. "Wonder where Baralai is.." Gippal shrugged and kept walking. Ah well.. Probably busy anyway.

Baralai stopped, one hand at his forehead and his chocolate brown eyes off to his right, avoiding her. "Look, I didn't say you absolutely had to come. If you want to go back and talk with your friend, fine. Just because I'm Praetor doesn't mean I'm going to tell you what to do. I just assumed you were going with me because you offered to back in the room. And just to clear things up, I didn't say you weren't tough. I just didn't want you getting hurt in the process of something I have to do," he snapped abruptly. He immediately went still, not daring to look at her. Eventually he did, but his eyes fell to the ground after a few seconds. "Sorry.." That was all he could say, so he just began walking again. Foolish.. That's exactly why I keep strictly to business, he thought, running a hand through his hair roughly in anger.

[Kiwi]

Rikku shrugged, "I know, just still be careful." she told him and glanced around. "Hmm...I don't see Azul anywhere either." She blinked then smirked, "Ha maybe they're together somewhere....although that good be a bad thing. What if they're killing each other?" Her eyes went wide, "Or maybe....well no. I don't think they'd do that. She started laughing, then stopped gaining her composure. "Ah well, let's keep going."

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"He's not even there anymore," she said already looking back with a sigh somewhat wishing he would have stayed. "And if even if you did tell me what to do I wouldn't listen. I don't care if you're the Praetor or not. I don't listen to anybody but myself and my father!" Azul continued glaring at nothing, anything. She took the toy grenade out and started squeezing it, it almost looked like it would rip apart but the thing was virtually indestructible. "If you really wanted someone to listen to you then you should have brought your dog. She'd sit if you told her to sit and jump if you told her to jump." Azul sighed looking up at him, listening to his other words. "Haven't you realized this involves all of Spira? Not just you. So if I got hurt it would be my own fault, not on your behalf." she told him trying to calm down. Azul took a deep breath then let it out, "1...2...3..." she counted. "8...9...10...". She looked back up at him, "I'm sorry, too..." she apologized gaze also going to the ground. Azul didn't want to fight with him, she just had a short temper. "Just don't mind me, I can never say anything nice."

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[Strawberry]

"Yeah, I doubt Baralai and her are getting along at all. He's too strung up and I swear he wants to grow up into an old man.. alone.." he muttered, rolling his eye dramatically. "I don't think he should have been Praetor, seeing as he's too young for everything. I mean.. being such a high and mighty leader just takes all the fun outta living."

He stopped, the end of his rod on the ground at a slant, and his face slightly turned to his left. "Did you ever stop in the middle of your ranting to really hear my words, Azul? I said I'm not going to tell you what to do because I'm tired of it. If I truly wanted Chiana to come with me, i wouldn't have lied to her like I did, despite what she..assumed..." he said in a neutral voice, although he faltered slightly at the end. Baralai sighed and kept walking. She'd do what she wanted. The words of a Praetor can't strike a heart as much as the will of a person can..

[Kiwi]

"Yeah she has the shortest temper of anyone I know. She has...anger issues." she said nodding in agreement with him. "It must be hard y'know? But look at you, you're younger then him and your the Leader of the Machine Faction. Yet you find time to have fun and everything, I don't see why he couldn't. Hmm what does he do anyways? I mean I never found out..."

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"Well uh...good then, I didn't want her to come either." she said still not looking at him, it was slightly awkward saying that. Azul has sat down on the ground, dagger in hand as she wrote her name in the dirt boredly. "I just didn't...like her very much." Her words were already starting to stutter. She was indeed jealous like he had teased, it's not like she'd ever admit it...especially to him. Azul doodled random things in the dirt beside her names, scribbles and other unidentified things. She almost wanted to laugh again at what the girl assumed, she only ended up blushing again. "That was the dumbest thing I ever heard though, I mean honestly..." she said managing a nervous laugh, "So dumb...".

[Strawberry]

"I have no idea what he does. He probably drowns himself in work and his own stupid thoughts on trying to save all of Spira since the mishap with Vegnagun was over. Truthfully, Baralai isn't too social and he doesn't really talk about his problems much with anyone, so I wouldn't be surprised if they started fighting on his account. Baralai does have a bad history of letting out everything as anger, but on accident," said Gippal, rubbing the back of his head slightly. "I mean, he's a good guy and all.. but if he tries to do something, it always comes out scratchy and people who don't really know him interpret his real goal wrong and either gets hurt or just hates him for no reason. That's why he stays away from most people and confines himself to his work."

Baralai looked back at Azul, watching her for a few seconds before walking over to her and crouching down in front of her, rod off to his left with both hands holding it. "If you say its so dumb and you think the same, then how come you haven't moved on yet?" he asked, smirking. He shook his head and stared at her work in the ground, thinking. "Well.. Do you still want to come with or just go for your chocobo and return to your sister?"

[Kiwi]

Rikku nodded, "Poor guy, I feel bad for him. He seems like he never has any fun from what I know. It's like he stays here all day." she said, "I hope you never get that way. But if you did I'd make it all better." She smirked, "I could always smack some sense into you right? Hmm...maybe that's what Baralai needs. A slap to kick him into reality or something." Rikku shrugged, "Okay well maybe not a smack, he needs something though...or he's going to live a very unhappy life."

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Azul just laughed, "Thats not what I was calling dumb! I was calling her dumb for assuming what she assumed." she told him still drawing in the dirt. "I mean who could think something like that? It's insane, crazy, absurd, etc...". She stood up and nodded, "I'll just stay with you, who knows what my sister is doing with Gippal..." she commented laughing again, but cringing as well. "Yeah and if I didn't go who would save you? I mean...what if you like died or something? That would be bad and they'd all be Praetorless." Her gaze went to the ground, "Then you'd go to the Farplane thing....that place is kinda creepy...".

[Strawberry]

"Me? Turn out like an old man who hates any type of company? No way..." he said, grinning down at her. "And if you or Azul ever plan to kick or slap him.. I'll make sure I'm far far away so he doesn't come running after me for telling you about him. He's too secretive and closed up for his own good and if he found out I've been telling you guys about him, he'd have my head for sure." Gippal laughed slightly, shaking his head.

Baralai smiled as he stood as well. "Well, to be all technical... I wouldn't go to the Farplane. Those little whisps make up the body of one that has passed on that a person desires to see. Though I appreciate your worry, if that's what it was," he said. "And, well, if I did die, at least I wouldn't be burdened with the title Praetor anymore.." He blinked then shrugged, raising his brows. The thought of dying didn't really tempt him to run away.

[Kiwi]

"I won't and I'll leave Azul to bother with him, I need to keep you in line after all. No way I could handle both of you, you're bad enough." she said with a smirk. "Plus I'm sure Azul would have fun if she could hurt somebody. I mean she needs someway to get rid of the anger, right?" Rikku grinned at him, "Hey...speaking of Azul. Why'd you get so close to her when you first got here? You were all in her face and everything, kinda like what you did to Yuna last year. Remember 'I've never been this close to a celebrity before'. You're so weird."

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"You mean pyreflies?" she asked with a nod, "Yeah...you see them at the Moonflow a lot. I wonder why...it's odd." Azul looked up again, "I'd be worried if anyone was going to die, but your welcome I guess." She frowned, "That sounded really suicidal for a second. You shouldn't think that, being Praetor can't be all bad...you just need a break from it for awhile." she told him, "True...dying takes responsibilites...but it also takes away everything else. Just think of all the things you'd be missing if you died...You still have your whole life to live."

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