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Category:
Final Fantasy X-2
Disclaimer:
I do not own Final Fantasy X-2, Spira, or the characters.
Description:
This is just a fun one-shot I wrote after finishing the game the first time through. It is also a response to the amazing abundance of retarded RiPa fan fiction out there. Rikku and Paine are straight. It will never cease to amaze me how girls can't be friends without people jumping to the wrong conclusion. *sickos*
Five Months Later...
Paine narrowed her gaze to a razor point. Beside her, Rikku had donned one of her rare but nonetheless intimidating looks of death. "Care to say that again?" the warrior invited with a steely edge.
The New Yevon guard took an involuntary step back. "N-no," he stumbled over the word. He hesitated before blurting out in a rush, "It's just that you two always seem to be flirting and hanging all over each other. I just assumed—" The man didn't get a chance to finish as both Paine's and Rikku's fists collided with his face.
"Sicko!" Rikku shouted and gave him a kick for good measure.
"You said it," breathed Paine. She cast a final disgusted look at the incapacitated New Yevon guard before stepping over him.
"Some people…" Rikku trailed off, disbelief apparent in her expressive tone. Her face settled into a brooding pout.
"Yeah," Paine agreed. "Some people."
They walked in silence for a handful of seconds. Unfortunately, Rikku seemed to be incapable of not filling up empty space with words. She sighed loudly. "So, what does Baralai want anyway?" she asked.
Paine wasn't deceived by the innocent tone. Since Gippal had made his feelings known, Rikku had been trying to match Paine up with someone...anyone. The Al'Bhed thief had made it her personal mission to play matchmaker. The victim: Paine and whichever unsuspecting fool allowed himself to be sweet-talked by Rikku.
Deciding to answer the question straight, Paine replied, "He had an offer for the Gullwings."
"Ohhhh," Rikku stretched the word suggestively.
Paine shot the girl a cold look. "Rikku," she warned.
The Al'Bhed danced in front of her, effectively halting their progress. "Oh, come on, Painey," Rikku teased. "Yunie is still the head of the Gullwings. There has to be a reason why he asked for you." She wiggled her eyebrows.
"Maybe you should just wait here," Paine said, stepping around the too-excited Rikku.
"Awww, don't be that way," Rikku reprimanded, bouncing to her side.
Paine frowned. While she considered Rikku a mix between a friend and a little sister, she was starting to understand why the guard had gotten the wrong impression about them.
Rikku caught her look and giggled. "No frowning," she instructed. "We don't want you to look all sour for Baralai, now do we?"
"Rikku," she warned again, leveling the girl with a glare.
The younger girl giggled but stopped pressing.
Paine inwardly sighed her relief. Getting Rikku off a topic was nearly impossible once the girl had her mind set. She needed to change the subject. Fast. "How's Gippal taking you still flying with the Gullwings?"
Instantly distracted, Rikku started bouncing again. "He's totally fine with it!" she gushed excitedly. "Besides, he's stuck at that dig for another six months. It's not like we'd get to see each other if I quit the Gullwings, and this way I can bully Brother into taking me to see him whenever I want."
A pair of elderly priests passed by, shooting meaningful glances at them. Paine almost confronted them but decided against it. Let them make assumptions. She wasn't gay. She knew it. Rikku knew it. The Gullwings…everyone important. The rest of Spira could go fuck themselves.
Her mood definitely soured, Paine pushed open the doors to the temple. She didn't break her stride as she marched purposefully toward the meeting hall where the Praetor was presiding.
One look at the elevated dais told her they were in for a wait. Nooj and Baralai were in deep discussion around a CommSphere.
The three power houses of Spira were the Machine Faction, New Yevon, and the Youth League. By nature, these factions held vastly different ideologies. Thankfully, their leaders were old friends and not likely to move against each other. Still, constant negotiations were necessary to maintain the tenuous peace. Thus, the three had officially announced a conference to discuss "a joint effort for the future of Spira." Although Gippal was stuck on Bikanal Island, the three leaders still held their conferences via CommSphere.
Paine crossed her arms and leaned against one of the pillars lining the hallway. "We're in for a wait," she stated. She glanced at where Rikku should have been; only the girl wasn't there. Paine's eyes quickly located the clumsy thief activating the audience lift. Paine barely leapt onto the lift in time before it began rising toward the Praetor's platform.
"Gippal!" Rikku called excitedly, jumping over the railing and rushing toward the CommSphere. "Hey, honey cheeks!" She waved excitedly.
Nooj and Baralai straightened and stepped back, taking the interruption good naturedly.
"Sorry about her." Paine stepped off the lift.
Nooj and Baralai turned to her, smiles spreading across their faces.
"Paine," Nooj acknowledge with a friendly tone. "Baralai told me you might be coming."
"I won't be staying long," she dismissed with a shrug. "How's LeBlanc?"
A look of contentment settled over Nooj's features. "She's expecting," he announced.
Paine allowed a small upturn of her mouth. "Congratulations." She didn't know why Nooj had become a Deathseeker in the past, but she was glad that he was no longer on that path. Yevon knew that he and the rest of Crimson Squad's survivors deserved a good life.
"Careful," Baralai warned. "Gippal and I have just today been able to stop Nooj from talking about parenthood while we're supposed to be discussing Spira's future."
"Nooj's child is part of Spira's future," Paine pointed out, teasing.
Baralai recognized the tone and sighed. "Not another one," he said in mock-frustration.
Paine allowed the smile to spread to the other corner of her mouth. She missed this.
Abruptly, Rikku bounced into orbit and grabbed her arm, pulling her toward the CommSphere. "Here she is!" Rikku said in the too-excited tone that Paine had come to associate with Gippal.
In the CommSphere, Gippal looked highly amused by Rikku's antics.
"Hey, Gippal," Paine spoke harshly. "Come get your fiancé. She's driving me nuts."
The image of Gippal grinned widely. "Sorry, Paine," he said, not sounding the least apologetic. "Take care of her for me?"
Paine raised a single eyebrow. "Do I have a choice?"
"Hey!" Rikku punched her arm playfully. "Meanie."
"I'm going," Paine informed the sphere. Not waiting for an answer, Paine turned back towards Baralai. "What did you call the Gullwings for?"
Baralai accepted her directness with an ease that could only come from experience. "Actually," he glanced at Nooj, "it concerns Crimson Squad."
Paine crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh?"
Rikku had gone eerily quiet at the mention of the mission's details.
Baralai didn't pause. "I heard a rumor that the Gullwings had collected all the Crimson Spheres and Crimson Reports, and that these spheres were hidden somewhere in Spira."
"You have sharp ears," Paine said and glanced coolly at Rikku. The guilty girl was studying her feet. Paine frowned at the Al'Bhed before returning her attention to Baralai.
A natural pacifist, Baralai unconsciously spoke in soothing tones, "The three of us have discussed this, and we would like to release the spheres to the public."
Nothing could have surprised her more. "Huh?"
"It will help to reinforce a sense of unity between the factions," Baralai explained. "Of course, this could be accomplished in a number of other ways, but Nooj and Gippal agree that releasing the spheres would have the greatest impact." He paused. "But you're on those spheres as well. If you don't consent, we'll find another way."
Paine allowed a cool mask to settle across her features. For a moment, she considered just walking away. Then, she forced a shrug. "Fine."
Baralai allowed a small smile at her assent. "We would like to release the spheres by the end of the conference, if possible."
"One week," Paine said firmly. She offered them a wan smile by way of apology. She knew she was in a bad mood. "Rikku, say goodbye to Gippal."
"Okay!" She spun around and kissed the sphere screen. "Luv ya, honey cheeks." Rikku joined her in the lift. "Oh, Baralai!" she called as the lift began to descend. "You know Paine's single, righ—?"
Paine clamped a hand firmly over the Al'Bhed's mouth. "Ignore her," she tossed over her shoulder while holding the struggling Rikku in a head-lock.