Saving Home
by PrettyGothGirl
Summary: On the airship, Rikku knows someone, and Tidus wonders what this guy who wants to save home is to her.
A/N: Happy Birthday Sixpoint! This is a slight AU, more of a 'what if' story. It also is the last prepared thing I have from my hiatus. *grimaces* Translations for all the Al Bhed are at the bottom. Note the first, I'm looking for an idea bouncer. I need someone with patience, creativity attention to detail, and the ability to motivate. PM or email me if you're interested. Note the second: If you would like to get on my birthday list (and garuntee more updates from me), email or PM me your birthday. It doesn't even have to be a real one. And I'll put you on my birthday calendar.
The air in the interior of the escape ship was a blessing compared to the smoke choked air that filled Home. The Summoners and the Guardians stumbled onto the bridge. Claxons still rang in their ears and red lights flashing. A group of blonde men stood in the center of the bridge, a huge glowing sphere backlit them as they gestured and shouted.
Rikku took a step forward her face a mask of shock. "Gippal!"
Wakka reached out a hand to stop her but she ran across to the group. She skidded to a halt next to a tall young man in a purple shirt with an eye patch. He turned his entire upper torso to face Rikku and grinned at her, his hand catching hers and squeezing. Rikku's eyes turned to look at the bald man, Elder Cid and they widened. "Hu, vydran!"
The bald man chopped her off with a wave of his hand. The man who was supposedly Rikku's older brother raised his fist into Cid's face. "Oui lyh'd tu drec."
Rin put a hand on Rikku's brother's shoulder. "Mad'c ymm pa naycuhypma."
"Naycuhypma! Ra fyhdc du tacdnuo Home." Gippal's jaw tightened.
Wakka edged over next to Tidus. "Makes you wonder what they're saying, ya."
Tidus nodded. "I'm not even getting one word in three."
Wakka shook his head.
"Fa'na nihheh' uid uv desa du ynkia. E'ja syta so taleceuh."
Rikku grimaced. "Ed'c uin Home!"
"Fa cruimt vekrd!" Her brother waved.
"Fru? Oui?" Cid shook his head.
"E femm." Gippal took a step forward, his hand resting on the gun on his hip. "Yht yhouha fru femm vekrd fedr sa. Dyga dra lremtnah yht dra fuihtat yht ku."
Rikku looked sideways and up at him. A small smile played on her mouth, her spine straightened. "Fa'mm naclia Yuna."
"Fa lyh tu drec, Amtan." Gippal said.
Cid sighed. "Uh ouin rayt pa ed."
"Anikki." Gippal looked at Rikku's brother. It was a statement and a question.
"Ra ryc du bemud." Cid growled.
"Dyga Dachi." Anikki reached out. Gippal reached out and clasped his arm. They nodded at each other. Anikki ran towards the pilot's couch. Gippal turned to Rikku. They looked at each other, nothing and everything passed between them in that look. She squeezed his hand once more. He half smiled and ran towards the door, going between Wakka and Tidus. Cid began barking orders in Al Bhed over the speakers.
Tidus walked over to Rikku. "What's going on?"
"Gippal is going to regroup the Al Bhed and retake Home." Rikku squeezed her fists together.
"Oh. He seems rather young."
Rikku's eyes narrowed and she glared at him. "I'm rather young."
Tidus shuffled his feet. "Well, I forget sometimes." He rubbed the back of his neck. "So, are you two-?"
"Good old friends." She cut him off.
"Cra'c vmoehk!" Anikki yelled from his seat as he adjusted buttons.
"Hahahah, uv luinca cra vmeac!" Cid laughed. "Cfehk ynuiht yht rujan ujan dra tacand. Bnabyna du tabmuo dnuubc!"
"Fa ryja veahtc eh dra rymmc!"
Rikku whipped around. "We can take care of those. There will be no 'We'll blow up the ship and all go down together,' Pops. You need to learn restraint." She shook her head and put a hand to her forehead.
Rin smiled. "Yes, I have every confidence that the Guardians can deal with this problem."
"What's the point of being a leader, if there ain't no one who will let you lead, especially yer own children." Cid muttered under his breath. "Fine."
Rikku turned her head and grinned at Tidus. "Ready to hunt some fiend."
He grinned back. "Bring it on."
Gippal put a hand over his eyes, watched the airship curve around the city and accelerate across the desert, taking some of the Zu with it. Dachi, Anikki's best friend, approached him. "Do you really think we can do this?"
"Well, the other choice is to die. Set the beacon and see who else shows up."
Dachi nodded. "On it." He paused. "Is there any better reason than that?"
"Oh, well, we built Home. So by all rights we should know it better than the Guado." Gippal grinned. "That and Rikku would kill me herself if I died on some stupid heroic stunt."
Dachi snorted and trotted away.
The sun began to set as Al Bhed straggled in. The wounded were taken care of with whatever supplies they had. Groups disappeared into the desert to grab other supplies cached there and return. They sat and sipped water, taking naps, checking equipment and waiting for full dark. At full dark, they would reclaim the city.
They crept towards the city, low to the sand. The last ranks burying mines in the sands. At the base of the city, Gippal released the cables at the top of the towers. They clipped them to their harnesses and walked up the sides of the city to the top. The Zu were gone back to their homes in the Eastern Expanse.
Gippal tilted his head back and rolled his shoulders inhaling deeply. He watched and waited until he saw the flashes of light that signaled everyone was accounted for. He flashed signals back, reached down and pulled up the trap door. They descended into darkness.
Gippal never did remember much of the next few hours. He never wanted to. The shouts of angry Guado, the constant back flash of rifles, the stench of blood mixed with the smell of smoke and gunpowder, the whoosh of flamethrowers that held fiends at bay while they killed their handlers. The occasional quake of the ground that threw everyone against the walls that told Gippal his tactic was having the desired effect of driving them out of the city and into the newly planted minefield outside.
He stumbled out into the rose tinted morning after running a final check of the cellars of Home. He stared at the sun and his men. Soot streaked, bloody gashes, holding on to each other or limping. They stared at the carnage in the surrounding sands, places melted into sheets of glass.
Someone cheered. It broke the stillness and was picked up by another and another. They raised their fists, pounded each other on the back and whirled in circles. Gippal grinned and leaned against the door. He tilted his head back and let the sun warm his face. They'd done it. They'd saved Home.
Some time later
Tidus came to a halt in front of the break in the ridges that were the last clear landmark before the plains that surrounded Home, at least from that direction. The two Al Bhed on guard duty raised their weapons on the party.
Rikku pushed through them. "Home?"
The guns snapped up. The one on the right took off his mask and grinned. "Cyjat." His green eyes danced. "Gippal's tenaldehk dra lmayh ib."
Rikku straightened and her whole face lit up. She dashed off towards Home. The guards chuckled and parted, letting the rest of the Guardians pass.
Yuna looked over at Tidus. "What caused that reaction?"
"I think they mentioned Gippal."
"Gippal?"
"An old good friend of Rikku's." Tidus grinned and then looked up, catching Rikku throwing herself at Gippal, who lifted her off the ground, twirled her about and leaned down for a toe-curling kiss. "Is that how she greets old good friends?"
Yuna laughed. "Must be."
No, father!
You can't do this.
Let's all be reasonable.
Reasonable. He wants to destroy Home.
We're runnin' out of time to argue. I've made my decision.
It's our Home
We should fight!
Who? You?
I will. And anyone who will fight with me. Take the children and the wounded and go.
We'll rescue Yuna.
We can do this, Elder.
On your head be it.
He has to pilot.
Take Dachi.
She's flying!
Of course she flies! Swing around and hover over the desert. Prepare to deploy troops!
We have fiends in the halls!
Saved. Gippal's directing the clean up.
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