"But some of them did choose it," Rikku said, settling in and frowning. "And we were keeping them from it. I don't care, though. We were keeping them alive. I mean. It was better than ... maybe it wasn't. I don't know any more. It felt like something. Pops wasn't thinking at all. And I ... I was supposed to get Yunie? But her Guardians kinda beat me up."

She frowned. "She pulled me aside. And she said ... don't fight me. Help me. And I had a hundred reasons not to. I don't believe in any of this religious crap. I think you're killing yourself for nothing. I love you and I don't want you to die." Deep breath. "I mean, not to mention, you know. Nobody's gonna let me be a Guardian. I'm an Al Bhed. She kinda didn't care. 'I need you.' And that's all it took."