Welcome to Gaia! ::

Rikku had spent the morning bustling about the house with Trelweny making certain that she had everything she could possibly need. Trel helped her strap the tightly packed supplies to the back of the cycle behind the seat. Eagerly, the Al Bhed hoped on the hovercycle & started the engine.

"Hey, Blondie! Hold up!" Her sister's call surprised her & Rikku twisted on the seat. "What is it, Relm? I don't wanna be late!"

Jogging forward the artist handed Rikku a small package that easily fit into the palm of her hand. "It's a tent. A special kind of tent that my friends & I used 'before' on our adventures. Comfortably holds 3-4 & somehow always takes on a slightly different look depending on who activates it."

The thief gave her an odd look. "But we're supposed to sleep out under the stars." "Just in case it rains... okay Blondie?"

"Okay!" Tucking the tent away, the happy & excited thief waved & took off -her sunset scarf trailing behind her in the wind.

She barely saw the things she passed as she zoomed towards the shop, engine full open. She saw the familiar orange ahead before the warning proximity beep of the cycle could tell her something was near. Rikku quickly slowed the machina down. "Ruto! You're here! I hope I'm not late!"

"More than ready!" She hops off the now idling machina & gives the shinobi a fierce hug paired with a light kiss on the cheek. "We'd better hook your bag in tight!"

Taking his hand she goes to the back of the bike & undoes the strap holding her things down carefully. "It'll fit right here, I'm sure!"

"Then, Booyah!!! Off we go!"

Fiddling with the now larger mound on the back Rikku scrunches her face up in concentration to make certain it will still be balanced. Not that the hovercycle could not handle quite a bit of imbalance itself, but tiedowns or not an imbalanced load could spill easily.

Finally satisfied, Rikku hopped onto the seat, patting the space behind her for Naruto. Then she grinned coyly & winked. "Unless you'd rather drive? I've already set our destination into the navigational unit."

Sighing happily as his arms encircled her Rikku flshed him a smile. "Then hold on tight! And tell me if you'd like me to slow down for anything!"

That said, Rikku set the speed only a fraction under what she had done getting to the shop. The route she was taking was slightly less familiar. Her family had helped find a perfect spot. She hoped Naruto would like it.

She wove the machina between the trees around the shop, heading away from the direction they might take to the city. The woods thickened for a while & the constant zigging & zagging between them forcing Rikku to slow down slightly. The Al Bhed smiled as she concentrated. This was even more fun with Ruto's arms about her.

The trees gave way at last to a clear, natural meadow. It almost looked surreal with tendrils of twinning morning glories & moonflowers weaving between dandelions with heads of white & tiny blue & white flowers all on an expanding bed of clover & honeysuckle. Not far in the distance a small lake sparkled under the sun. Rikku slowed the cycle to a crawl, not wanting to send too much of the dandelion seeds into the air.

"So... What do you think?"

Rikku is not sure why she feels so suddenly good all over even more than she hade before, but she does. Briefly she takes one hand from the handle & hugs Naruto's arms to her. "Glad you like!"

Nearing the lake she spies a circle of stones, filled with sand. Familiar hoofprints dot the ground nearby. She frowns for a moment, then smiles. "Aw... Fred & George made a place for the fire for us. I wonder if they spelled it safe too? I wouldn't want this place to catch fire."

Rikku nods, settling their ride at a comfortable sitting distance from the fire pit so that it can either be sat upon or leaned against comfortably later. "Yeah, talaye wizards. I warn ya though: don't accept any of their treats unless you're willing to deal with the consequences. They take practical jokes to a whole new level." Of course Rikku had no knowledge of this particular shinobi's penchant for jokes or she might have thought better about her words. Probably not.

"Sure! Sounds great! Maybe we could visit with them at their meadow. 'Deli & 'Rage talk about it all the time, but I've never gone though I think Aiden has." She paused, shutting down the engine. "What's so strange about the one? Stranger than 'Rage wearing a scarf like me? Or like minis? I guess minis aren't all that strange, cuz Trin's a kitsu mini herself." She was babbling now as she leaned back into him, trying to figure out what could be strange about a tala.