章 42: Evening Exchange
"Have you overcome the apprehensions you felt toward Lalafell~?" asked Nanamo, lying against Andrew and tracing her finger along his chest after he regained his normal size and appearance.
"Mmm...I'd be lying if I answered yes..." replied Andrew. However, while he was telling the truth, that didn't stop him from giving Nanamo's tiny butt a firm, possessive squeeze.
"Well, then, I suppose we'll just have to continue working on it," mused Nanamo, crawling up Andrew's body to give him a peck on the lips before stating, "I ought to return shortly. But, before that, I would be honored if you were to join me in the bath. Your Queen speaks rather highly of your ability and attentiveness as an attendant."
"I do take care of what's mine..." responded Andrew, rising to a seated position and supporting Nanamo atop his arm as he shimmied off the bed and carried her to the bathroom. There, he afforded her similar treatment to Garnet, but because of her small size, it was much more awkward than when he bathed his beautiful, soon-to-be 'first' wife...
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"You certainly took your time returning..." remarked Lulu, sitting sideways at a circular table within one of Djose Temple's lounge areas, reserved for Summoners and their Guardians.
"Interworld relations require a lot of time and energy..." replied Andrew, only half-lying. Of the ten and a half hours he had been gone, only three were spent tending to Nanamo. The remaining seven went toward a long, tedious discussion about trade, forming and training a response force that could travel between worlds, and securing Yuna's place as the first Queen of Spira. Y'shtola also wanted to study the Eidolons of his home world, so he had to mediate between her and Garnet since the two were tentatively at odds with one another...
Exhaling a genuine sigh, causing Lulu's brows to rise, Andrew plopped down at the table and asked, "You on night watch? How's Paine getting along with everyone...?"
Nodding in affirmation, Lulu replied, "Kimahri and I took the first watch. As for Paine...she is fairly distant, but she reminds me of myself when I was younger. I believe she will make a fine Guardian..."
"Well, you do both dress in leather..." remarked Andrew, unashamedly lowering his gaze to Lulu's chest. She rolled her eyes when he did, but instead of chastising him, she asked, "Do you truly intend to make Yuna the Queen of this world...?"
"She wants to help Spira, and it's the best way to prevent others from seizing power once it becomes known that Yevon and Sin are essentially the same entity," maintained Andrew, shrugging casually.
"Things won't be that simple..." contended Lulu. "Even if you can prove that Grand Maester Mika is an Unsent, those who hold power in Bevelle will not relinquish it so easily..."
"That much is certain," affirmed Andrew. "Fortunately for us, Bevelle shot itself in the foot by concealing the fact it's a technological powerhouse to all but a few people. They don't have the workforce to maintain and use their facilities, and those who believe in the teachings most fervently will feel betrayed once they learn the truth..."
Feeling a yawn coming on, Andrew covered his mouth, yawing loudly before adopting a smile and adding, "They'll split into factions regardless of what we do. We could make our own on the platform of defeating Sin and ushering in an Eternal Calm. It's only a matter of time before news of what transpired during Operation Mi'ihen spreads throughout Spira. We just need to prove we're the ones that pulled it off, and a large portion of the population will side with us out of gratitude while others do so out of fear..."
Furrowing her brows, Lulu accusingly remarked, "Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this..."
Shaking his head, Andrew responded, "Not really. I just laid everything on the table and left it to people smarter than myself to decide how we move forward. That includes Yuna, mind you. I'm just doing my best to meet her growing expectations."
"I don't know..." muttered Lulu, her voice a husky droll as she remarked, "It seems to me like you've placed yourself in a fairly convenient position as the lynchpin of multiple realities. I wouldn't be surprised if you tried to become an Emperor someday..."
"Then you lack even a basic understanding of my character," contended Andrew, adopting a cheeky smile. He was undoubtedly opportunistic, but if not for Garnet requesting he become an Envoy, he wouldn't be jumping through hoops to ensure everything was running smoothly. She was also the culprit behind his somewhat 'prurient' nature, as he was perfectly fine just clapping her cheeks for a few years, potentially even the remainder of their lives.
'Not that I'm complaining...' mused Andrew, tearing his eyes from Lulu's bust and staring into space. He felt like he had crossed a precarious line with Nanamo, but variety was the spice of life, and he would rather feast from a banquet than eat the same meal every day, even if that meal was his favorite...
Seeing Andrew ostensibly ignoring her, Lulu rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Yuna had appealed to her to become one of Andrew's Proxies, but the more she interacted with the enigmatic scoundrel, the more she understood they simply weren't 'compatible.' She also didn't have a head for politics, so as much as she wanted to support Yuna, Lulu didn't think it would benefit anyone if she simply became an outlet for Andrew's sexual fantasies and desires. Not to mention that, while they weren't actively in a relationship, she and Wakka were fairly close. If she weren't previously in a relationship with his deceased brother, they might be much closer...
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As Yuna had already completed the Cloister of Trials for Djose Temple, earning herself the unicorn-like Aeon of Lightning, Ixion, the group's next destination was the Moonflow, an expansive river with a powerful current that separated Spira's main continent into northern and southern sides. To get there, they needed to backtrack from Djose, turning left at a major fork in the road and following a cliff that eventually connected to a large forest filled with mangroves and gnarled Cyprus trees.
Arriving at the southern shore of the Moonflow, Tidus rushed forward and exclaimed, "Whoa! Far out...!" in response to the vast stretch of water that lay before them. Flowering plants, known as Moonlilies, populated much of the shoreline, producing beautiful purple flowers, but the most notable feature of the mesmerizing river were the pyreflies flowing in and out of it like large, amphibious, rainbow-hued fireflies.
"It's said that, at night, countless pyreflies gather above and below the water's surface, making the entire river resemble an ocean of stars," said Lulu, wearing a rare, faint smile.
"It's true," appended Paine, standing with her arms crossed and a large sword embellished with a skull motif on her back.
"Seriously?" asked Tidus, his face and eyes lighting up as he attempted to add, "Then, why don't we—"
"We're not staying the night," said Auron, pouring cold water over Tidus's enthusiasm. However, before he could walk off, Yuna added, "I would also like to see it. Besides, now that Queen Garnet has severely injured Sin, we no longer have to rush to Zanarkand."
"..."
Unable to contend with Yuna's reasoning, Auron cast a fleeting glance at Andrew, responding with a curt, "Very well..." before walking off to check them in at the nearby rest station.
"Wow, thanks, Yuna~!" exclaimed Tidus, smiling broadly and scratching his head awkwardly. He knew she and Andrew were together, but since he had little experience with women, he couldn't help feeling happy that Yuna had taken his side against Auron. In reality, she just wanted to stay put so Rikku could contact them more easily, but what Tidus didn't know couldn't hurt him...
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While everyone else stayed in the lodgings provided by the Moonflow's personnel, a group of blue-skinned humanoids with amphibian features and oversized hands, Andrew and Yuna stayed in a portable Cottage he had acquired from the world of Final Fantasy 8. It was a half-cylindrical building, less than 2m tall and three long, but it was cozy and resistant to inclement weather, perfect for SeeDs on long missions that required them to camp outdoors.
With Yuna sleeping on his right, using his shoulder as a pillow, Andrew lay with his eyes closed but fully alert, allowing him to immediately react to a faint knocking on the Cottage's door around 2 AM. Lulu, Paine, Auron, and Kimahri knew they were expecting a guest, but since said guest wasn't aware that they were welcome, they arrived super late/early, depending on how you looked at it.
Waking Yuna with a kiss on her forehead, Andrew whispered, "We have a visitor..." before leaving the sleepy brunette to her own devices as he rose to a seated position, staring through the one-way aperture that let people inside the Cottage see out but prevented outsiders from peeking in.
Though the person outside was wearing a diving suit, their short stature, perky tits, and blonde hair sticking out of the top of their helmet like the leaves of a palm tree made it clear they were who Andrew was expecting. Thus, after Yuna managed to wake up enough to sit, he cracked open the door and asked, "Oui Rikku(You Rikku)...?"
"Ec Yuna rana(Is Yuna here)?" responded the girl, earning a slight nod from Andrew as he opened the door to reveal Yuna seated behind him atop a white futon.
Returning a curt nod, the petite girl abruptly started removing her diving suit, still damp from her swim over. Underneath was a cute, fairly young-looking girl wearing a sleeveless orange top that conformed to the shape of her lithe frame, flared, frilly green dolphin shorts, an orange belt that hung lazily on her hips, long blue ribbons hanging from the back of her top, a bladed gauntlet on her right arm, a protective mitt on her left, a leather pouch for storing items on her right thigh, and white, waterproof boots with brown trimming that covered much of her calves. Beyond that, she also wore a pair of goggles, removing them to reveal dark green eyes with distinctive swirls, a characteristic of most Al Bhed.
"Lyh E lusa eh(Can I come in)...?" asked the girl, unmistakably Yuna's cousin, Rikku.
"Uv luinca(Of course)," replied Andrew, stepping aside to let Rikku into the Cottage. It was a bit small to accommodate three people, but he certainly didn't mind sharing a tiny space with two cute girls.
"Are you Rikku...?" asked Yuna, staring at Rikku with wide eyes and a hint of excitement.
"That's right~!" replied Rikku, striking a pose, making a peace sign next to her right eye, and poking her tongue out before plopping down in front of Yuna, surprising her with a hug as she added, "It's so good to finally meet you, Yunie."
Though she was a little taken aback by Rikku's actions, Yuna reciprocated her hug, closing her eyes and smiling as she softly replied, "I'm also glad we were finally able to meet..."
Surprising both girls, Andrew interjected, saying, "I'm going to head out and leave the two of you to speak in private. Shoot me a message if you need me."
Before Andrew could perform his disappearing act, making it easier for Yuna to convince Rikku of her words, the former said, "Wait. Could you transport us to your penthouse first? It will be easier for us to talk there."
"Sure," replied Andrew, smiling as he added, "But if you're going to show her around, try to avoid the private lounge. I may or may not be using it..."
Understanding what Andrew meant, Yuna responded with a curt, "That's fine," before offering Rikku a basic explanation of his system, convincing her to accept his friend request. After that, he transported them to the living room, enjoying the sight of a gobsmacked Rikku before giving Yuna a parting kiss and heading to the lounge, messaging a certain pugilist, a scholarly cat girl, and a carnivorous Sultana as he went...
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