I always thought Rikku's shoes in the FFX looked like men's shoes. So I sort of wondered how she'd gotten them, and I came up with this.
The sands of Bikanel Island were soft, fine, and warm. The Al Bhed children didn't wear shoes. They didn't have to; there was nothing they needed protection against. Receiving your first pair of shoes was an important rite of passage for the Al Bhed. It signified one's entry into the adult world. Spira was filled with rough roads and harsh climates, and a first pair of shoes symbolized the capability of an Al Bhed to fend for oneself.
Rikku was getting her first pair of shoes today, and it was up to Gippal to select the pair that would take her on her first journey as an adult. He had only one chance; she'd be leaving in the morning.
It was a difficult thing, choosing her first pair of shoes, knowing that whatever pair he chose would carry her further and further away from him.
He surveyed the rows and rows of shoes in Luca's clothing boutique, but nothing was exactly right. And they had to be perfect. Nothing less for Cid's little girl. They should be sturdy and strong – tough shoes to protect a fragile girl. But still soft and comfortable, to make her journey easier. And they should be thick and heavy, to keep that flighty girl grounded.
And he realized quite suddenly that he had the perfect pair.
It was a short trip back to Bikanel, and he dug through his closet. There, in the back, were his first shoes. They were old and worn – not pretty and stylish, but discolored with age and the experiences of his journey. The leather, though thick, was soft and pliable. It would protect her, and yet was worn enough to prevent the blisters that had plagued him on his first journey.
He shook them out and dusted them off, then rubbed the faded leather until it shone. It was obvious they weren't new. They were still covered with grease spots – a hazard of being a mechanic – and boots in that style hadn't been manufactured for years. But they were the very best pair of shoes that he could offer her.
- -
"Hey, kid."
Rikku looked up from her packing as Gippal entered her bedroom.
"Gippal!" She smiled up at him. "Did you find my shoes?"
He ruffled her hair affectionately.
"You bet I did." He tossed them onto her bed and she scrambled to get a look.
She recognized them immediately. It had been a few years since she'd seen them, but she knew right away that they were his first pair. Tears sprung to her eyes. She gathered them up, holding them to her chest.
"Thank you." She swallowed down the lump in her throat. "They're perfect. The best."
"Would I give you anything less?" He chuckled awkwardly and cleared his throat. "Well, I've got to go help with the machina repairs."
"Okay. I've got to pack, anyway." She set the shoes very gently back on the bed, as though they were her most prized possession. "Thanks again."
He left, leaving her free to wonder over all the hidden meanings the shoes could have. Probably he didn't even realize all the things he'd told her with that simple gesture.
She knew she wasn't going to see him again for a long time. She'd still be starting her journey in the morning. But at least now, wherever she went, she'd be taking him with her.