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The storm lasted for another three days, and they stayed at the inn like they originally planned. Ann spent most of the time sleeping. Auron spent that time listening to the gossip that circled around the patrons that came and went.

Once the storm finally passed, Ann and Aaron gathered their things to finally travel on. Auron rented two chocobos
Ann~Okay so I just hop on it?
Auron~And try not to ruffle their feathers
He helped her on the chocobo then he got on his
Auron~Squeeze your legs a little, and they'll walk
Ann squeezed too much and the chocobo ran off. Auron sighed as went after her
Ann~Daaaad!!!
Auron~Pull back on the reins. That's the other reason why you have them
Ann pulled back and the bird soon stopped. Auron was almost beside her when the chocobo ran off again
Auron~Stop squeezing your legs Ann. That's why it went off again
Ann~I'll fall off!
Auron~You've fallen out of a tree in your sleep!
He pushed the chocobo to catch up and bump the other bird.
Ann~You're gonna knock me over?!
Auron~Stop the bird and relax your legs.
She pulled the reins again. As they slowed, Auron pulled her off the chocobo by the back of her collar and let her drop.
Auron~Are you alright, dear?
Ann~Can we do that again?
Auron~*chuckles* You squeezed too hard. Try again but softer
Ann got up and dusted herself off before mounting the chocobo to try again, more slowly this time. The chocobo went at a walking pace so Auron moved beside her
Auron~Better?
Ann~Hehehe yeah...so what happens if a fiend comes?
Auron~Only a chocobo eater might try. And if you're anything like Jecht and Tidus, I'm willing to bet you'd want to kill one
Ann~Of course! Why would anyone want to eat a chocobo?!
Auron~Well first reason for anyone is that chocobos can actually breed since they're not fiends
Ann~But still! Chocobos are cute....
Auron~Wait till you fall off a shoopuff
Ann~Why?
Auron~You'll see if you do
Ann~So what's after here?
Auron~We'll just take a small detour to Djose Temple
Ann~Is it more exciting?
Auron~It has lightning to keep rocks afloat outside
Ann~Cooool...
Auron chuckled again as they kept riding
Ann~So where does this road lead us to?
Auron~Mushroom Rock Road. From there Djose Road
Ann~Do the rocks really look like mushrooms?
Auron shrugged~More or less

They continued on in relative silence. Ann only made the occasional overcorrection which caused the chocobo to either stop completely or sprint off again. They traveled through the overpass and Auron explained that below them was the old highroad. After a few hours of riding, and complaining from Ann, they eventually got to the end of the highroad

Auron~Here we are now
Ann~Really? Finally?
Auron~Yeah. And we need to get off and walk
Ann~What?! But-
Auron~The rentals only cover the highroad. Their handler is there to collect them anyway. We can ride again at the Calm Lands
Ann~That sounds boring
Auron~If we're lucky there's a battle arena to fight fiends.
Ann smiled and hopped off, and Auron led the chocobos to the nearby renter. They headed through the checkpoint gate to Mushroom Rock Road.

Ann was allowed to run off again. With a wall on one side and a cliff face on the other, there wasn't a lot of space for Ann to wander off to, so Auron was able to watch her carefully without her needing to stay close. He felt better seeing her run around again as well. All the sleep she was doing made sense, because she didn't have to be awake for any cramping, but he hadn't seen her be that inactive for that long either.

There were the occasional Youth League member either patrolling or training. None of them bothered him or Ann, so he got concerned when he watched her stop and come back.
Auron~What happened?
Ann~Remember that guy in Kilika? The one with the big hair and the cane. He’s around the corner somewhere…
Auron~I think the girls said his name was Nooj. Does he still give you weird vibes? Anything you can name?
Ann~Yeah, still weird vibes. I can’t name what. It feels familiar…but I can’t put a name to it at all…
Auron~We’ll slow down. Hopefully he’ll pass us or stick to wherever their base is located at.
She stayed at his left side to hug his arm and keep his sword hand free.
Auron~I hope this doesn't stay a thing. Being friends with him might help her calm down if she understood the root of it, but because he's the leader of the Youth League there's also the political implications if we appear to favor him over New Yevon. I'm too old for this…
He quietly sighed. In the distance he spotted a chocobo pulled wagon with a few people clad in crusader armor and a man he recognized as Nooj.
Auron~Looks like they're traveling.
Ann~Hopefully away from us. I really don't like his presence. It's…dark…
Auron~I believe you. I sensed it too. Although, if he comes this way, we don't have to worry about crossing paths with him anytime soon.
Ann grumbled because he was right. She watched two of them get into the wagon and Nooj get in the driver's seat. They moved away from them to the north while the remaining members went about their business. Ann sighed and let go of Auron's arm.
Auron~We'll likely see him soon.
Ann~That’s okay. It isn’t today at least…

They traveled along Mushroom Rock Road in relative peace, the occasional fiend being a source of release for Ann's pent up energy from the last few days. They eventually came to a fork in the road and took the one towards Djose temple. The temple shortly came into sight.
Ann~Cool...and this is a temple?
She watched how the rocks floated around with the occasional lightning arcs in between
Auron~Yeah it is. Try not to get shocked
He chuckled and headed towards the temple
Ann~Hey! Was that supposed to be a joke? You aren't funny, Dad!
Ann tried to tackle him down. Auron turned around, caught her mid-run, and hoisted her onto his left shoulder. He continued walking as if she didn't just try attacking him…again.
Ann~Dad!
Auron~We don't need you hurting other people
Ann pouted and did her best to look over her left side without falling. She saw that someone flashy was coming out of the temple
Ann~Hey, who's that?
Auron~Looks like another faction
Ann~More politics?
Auron~Hopefully not. Oh, it looks like the girls are with him
Ann looked again to see the girls walking out
Ann~Why are they here?
Auron~Must be a sphere somewhere
After crossing the second bridge, Auron stopped a few paces away from the group. Rikku looked past the flashy teen, which made him turn.
Gippal~Ah, Sir Auron. A pleasure to meet you. The name's Gippal. I run the Machine Faction
Rikku pushed passed him and bounced expectantly
Rikku~Hey! Where's Ann?
Ann~You can let me down now...It's boring up here
Auron sighed and let Ann slide down. She hugged Rikku
Yuna~Sir Auron, hello again. We just came here to get a license to dig at the desert
Gippal~You know, I never heard of the great Auron having a companion. I couldn't believe my eye when I saw that broadcast out of Luca the other day.
The Gullwings quietly giggled as they knew the truth.
Gippal~You don’t have to be with an old man just to be protected. You can be with me instead.
He casually stepped between her and Rikku. Rikku moved back with the other two and nudged them to watch.
Ann~I don’t need protection. Daddy dearest protects others from me.
The Gullwings covered their mouths to hide their gasp and immediate giggles
Gippal~Feisty and cute. *chuckles* You could always call me daddy instead
He cupped her cheek in his hand, oblivious to the tension building around him.
Ann smiled politely, but her eye twitched in annoyance as she restrained herself from outright flooring the faction leader out of politeness. It'd be worse than the Youth League recruit if she did anything.
Auron started to quietly build his magic in case it was needed. He wasn't one for politics, but he wasn't going to let Ann handle this alone if the older teen kept pushing his luck.
The girls huddled together to try to stifle their laughter as much as possible to see how this played out.
Ann~I'm flattered, but I already have a boyfriend. And he isn't Sir Auron. Am I still cute for being only thirteen?
She felt him tense and enjoyed the horrified look he had. Gippal wanted to throw himself off the bridge as the dawning realization of what he was doing hit him like a chocobo stampede.
Gippal~R-right. Thirteen. *pulls back* You’re cute like a uh, murderous baby chocobo
Ann~Next time you don't get a warning. I will beat you into submission and make it look like an accident if you ever touch me again
Auron allowed the spell to dissipate and patted Ann's head. Since it wasn't going to get physical, he'll push into the murderous feral child that was his daughter.
Auron~Her uncle raised her. She can make ANYTHING look like an accident. Isn't that right, daughter dearest?
Ann smiled and cracked her knuckles.
Gippal gulped~That explains the fear factor…Th-thank you, for not killing me
He smiled nervously
Ann~Daddy, can we go now? I wanna get shocked already
Auron~As soon as you say your goodbyes
Ann deliberately~It's nice to meet you and all but we need to get going now. Goodbye for now
Ann bowed and looked at Auron
Ann~Okay, done, can we go now?
Auron chuckled and he bowed his head as they went
The Gullwings finally got it together and tried to sound sympathetic
Yuna~Ann held back just so you know. We haven't seen her that intense yet.
Paine~You don't want to mess with her. She dragged the three of us around Kilika, up the temple steps, and she still had the energy to fight a temple machina. She can do more damage than a baby chocobo biting your face off.
Rikku~I expected her to hit first and ask questions later. I think it's because you said you were the leader of the Machine faction.*giggle* Auron looked ready to throw hands first, honestly.
Gippal nodded~I hit on a minor that could kill me…In front of her father who could also kill me…Someone needs to fire that reporter before that teen murders someone for looking at her wrong…
He and saw them going into the temple
Gippal~I probably should have told them that we took over the temple…They won't kill me for that, right?

Ann~Whoa...There sure are a lot of robots...
Auron~Machina. Something is a little off about them though...
Ann~Hey dad, think we can go into the cloister of trials this time? Please?
Auron~Hmm...Go ask them politely
Ann approached the stairs then bowed in front of the guard
Ann~Good afternoon. Is it possible for me to go past those doors into the cloister of trials by chance?
guard~ I'm sorry child but this temple is no longer part of Yevon, and we are using the cloisters for our machines
Ann~Oh...I thought they were machina though?
guard~They are the same thing, but we're using machine so we can pull away from the negative connotation of machina and the people of Spira will not think of it as bad
Ann~oh ok. Thank you, sir
She bowed again and hopped off to Auron
Ann~Can't go in
Auron~Because? I'm surprised you didn't put up more of a fight for not getting your way.
Ann~They're using it for their machines
Auron~Hmm...So they're changing the word to machine? Well, in any case let's go. There won't be much else to do here.
They headed for the temple entrance
Auron~Unless you wanna pick on Gippal again
Ann giggled~Would you really let me?
Auron chuckled~I didn't hear you threaten him

Ann and Auron left Djose temple to head towards Moonflow. As they were leaving, they passed Gippal while he was talking to someone, and the Gullwings were long gone. Ann made eye contact with him, and without missing a beat, she brought two fingers up to blow him a kiss, and then dipped her index finger down just slightly before immediately turning away. She didn't actually flip off the faction leader, but hopefully, he can read between the lines better than earlier. Gippal's face sank, and he wished he hadn't looked in their direction
Al Bhed employee~Sir? Are you…you look like you've seen a ghost?
Gippal~I saw my life flash before my eyes…Make sure everyone knows not to show interest in Auron's girl–daughter. His daughter…

Auron~You’re lucky no one saw, y'know
Ann~I don't know what you're talking about
Auron chuckled~Of course not, daughter dearest
Ann~Don't call me dear
She lightly hit his arm, and he returned it as they walked on.