I've read fan fiction for a long time, but I've never actually sat down and written one of my own. So here is a tribute to my favorite couple, my first fanfic.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to FFX-2 except a copy of the game.

Prologue

When we defeated Vegnagun, everyone became happy. The eternal calm had come, and happiness could be found all over the place. Spira was safe, thanks to the Gullwings, and life could go on without any feelings of dread or fear. I didn't understand how anyone could be sad. I didn't understand why I was so sad.

After their speech in Luca, Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal decided that for the time being that the best way to keep Spira together was to oversee all of it together, as in they became a counsel as Spira's leadership. Nooj was in charge of the armies and with maintaining the laws. Baralai had the job of keeping the religious groups in check along with making new laws as required. Gippal, now here's a funny one, was in charge of foreign relations and maintaining the peace between nations. Ha!

Later Yuna jumped off the airship and ran to Tidus. I'd never been so excited to see anyone. Even Paine had cracked a huge smile! We landed rather roughly. (Brother was a little upset about Tidus' return.) All of Besaid was celebrating the return of Spira's saviors! As we ran to the crowd they all cheered, even more so when Yuna and Tidus came, running hand in hand.

The next couple of days everyone was in a constant state of celebration. I hoped that the parties would go on forever! There was one special get together though. The three leaders were so busy that the party was a long time coming. All the guardians that were still alive came, along with the Gullwings, Baralai, Gippal, Nooj, and LeBlanc of all people. Pops even had an invitation! It was an exclusive little party for the heroes that made peace at long last possible.

"Hey, kid! It's great to see ya!" Pops gave Tidus a smothering hug.

Tidus patted him on the back, cringing slightly, "I've missed you too, Cid."

There was tons of food and music, thanks to the people of Besaid. None of them bothered to crash our party. This one was for those who'd 'put their lives on the line for Spira' they'd said when we'd asked someone to join us. We, as in YuRiPa, didn't dress up too much. Yuna wore her songstress dressphere. Yuna and I made Paine wear her gunner dressphere instead of her usual warrior one. Afterwards she was very grumpy because we made her leave the guns in the hut. As for me, well, I wanted to wear my lady luck, but Yunie advised against it. Eventually she and I settled for my gun mage, although my gun was left behind as well. I was jumpy and ecstatic over seeing all of my old friends again, one in particular.

"Well, if it isn't Cid's girl! Still quite the party animal I see! May I?" I had been dancing around with Buddy, but Gippal decided to cut in. Buddy didn't mind, even though in my mind I'd been screaming, "No! Buddy, stay here!" He obviously didn't receive my telepathic message. Gippal grinned as he twirled me around, and I couldn't help but enjoy myself.

"I'm just having some fun. It's a good thing you're getting some in, Mr. Leader of Spira!" I stuck my tongue out at him.

LeBlanc had found the two of us dancing absolutely adorable and had to dance with her 'Noojie'. "Hey now, I might have to just pull some strings and have you arrested," Gippal winked at me.

I giggled as Nooj spun LeBlanc half-heartedly, "I would just pardon her."

"That's not fair," Gippal pretended to pout. "You have all the fun, 'Noojie'."

The song soon ended and another began. I looked around and noticed there were a few couples dancing now. I grinned seeing Nooj and LeBlanc, Tidus and Yuna, Wakka and Lulu, and I could hardly believe my eyes when I spotted Baralai and Paine dancing rather comfortably. This song was slower than the last, and I was about to walk away when Gippal grabbed a hold of my hand and pulled me back to him. He leaned close to my ear and whispered, "You can't get away from me that easy, Cid's Girl."

Quite frankly, I was shocked. Sure, we'd had a past, but we were just little kids. Who am I kidding? I get completely flustered whenever he's near me. My words get fumbled and all mixed up if I do more than tease him. That was our thing. He teased me, and I tease him back. His closeness now was causing me to nearly hyperventilate! Besides that I wasn't looking him in the eye, but he brought his hand from my hip to my chin and forced me to look at him square in the face. I could've died then and there. All the times I'd seen him flirting with other girls, all the times we'd fought for real, and the time he'd left without a word to me, all of it came flooding back and hit me with that one look in his lone eye. My hand took his away from my face. It was my turn to lean over and whisper in his ear, though my message was not as nice as his. "Sasuneac yna hela, pid dryd'c ymm drao yna…"

As I backed away from him, he didn't bother to stop me this time. His gaze was focused on the ground as I turned and walked over to my pops. He and brother were fighting again, and I had to laugh, watching their silly argument over who was to get the last piece of cheese. To settle them down, or to make them angrier, I'm not really sure myself, I strolled over nonchalantly and tossed the tiny cube into my mouth. "Mmm….that was some good cheese!" My hands were behind my back as I skipped over to Kimahri and Shinra, leaving behind two very sour Al Bheds.

Shinra looked up at me, "Hi, Rikku."

"Hey, kid! What are you two talking about?"

"We were just discussing putting one of my new devices on Mt. Gagazet. I could use the hot spring as a power source to get the-" I pretty much tuned out there. I had no idea what the little genius was talking about!

In the middle somewhere I interrupted, "That sounds great, Shinra!"

Shinra just nodded, "Yeah, I need to do something now that the Gullwings are no more. So, what will you do Rikku? Now that the Eternal Calm is here there's no more saving the world."

Wait a second. What was I going to do? It was like I was being forced into retirement from being a professional world saver! "Well," I scratched my head with a purple gloved finger, "I've never really thought about it.

Kimahri, who'd been a quiet observer this entire time, spoke up, "Rikku should be happy. Rikku should go and do what make Rikku happy."

I thought about this for a few moments. The only thing I'm really good at is being a part of a group, going out and completing missions. What else could I- "MACHINA! I'm happy fixing up machina and collecting parts for them!"

Kimahri nodded, "If that make Rikku happy, that what Rikku should do."

I grinned, "Thanks a load Kimahri!" Even if he wasn't very affectionate, I was. I nearly knocked him over with a huge hug. "I know exactly what to do now!"

After discovering what I wanted to do, I just needed to find pops to get my new adventure under way! Unfortunately I turned around to find Gippal speaking with him. They both looked serious, and that wasn't good. Hopping over to them anyway, I heard a few muttered words, "Cra lyh'd ghuf."

"Who can't know what?" I whispered, peeking out from behind my pops.

They both nearly jumped out of their skins, "Rikku! You should know better than to sneak up on your old man like that!"

"Cunno, E zicd haatat du cbayg fedr oui vun y cal, Vydran," I looked up at Gippal and mumbled, "bnejydamo."

Gippal got the hint. He simply looked at me and nodded. There were no teasing, departing words. He simply walked away. My eyes followed him as he left, but I looked back to my father as he cleared his throat, "Now what is it that you wanted to talk about, Princess?"

A huge grin broke across my face as I bounced from one foot to the other, "I have a business proposition for ya."

Translations:

Sasuneac yna hela, pid dryd'c ymm drao yna…- Memories are nice, but that's all they are…"

Cra lyh'd ghuf. - She can't know.

Cunno, E zicd haatat du cbayg fedr oui vun y cal, Vydran. - Sorry, I just needed to speak with you for a sec, Father.

bnejydamo – privately

How was that for the first chapter of my first fanfic? I thought it went pretty well. I'll keep writing whether I get reviews or not, but they would be much appreciated!