"Memory Lost"

Hullo! And thanks for reading my Gippal x Rikku story "Memory Lost." I hope you enjoy it and please read and review! All characters are Copyright Square Enix, except for the ones made up by myself. Please let me know what you think of the story, as this is my first fanfic and I am nervous to see what everyone thinks!

Author note: In this story I have portrayed Rikku as being 20 years old. I know in the game Gippal is not that much older than her, but for my story he is 26….Just FYI :)

Now…ON WITH THE STORY!!

Chapter 1

"What's takin you so long? It's the small one, to the left. Yes, yes, you're left. There ya go. Slowshoopuf."

Rikku glanced up towards the deep voice that was yelling down at her. She crossed her green eyes and stuck her tongue out quickly. "Well next time you can climb down here and get it yourself meanie!"

She climbed back up a long ladder and handed a small tool to Gippal, her friend since childhood. Gippal let out a loud laugh and bent back down and began working on a large machina motor that he and Rikku were perched upon.

"Geez, it's really hot out here." Rikku said loudly as she pulled her long yellow scarf from around her neck and fanned herself.

"How can you be even a little hot with that getup you have on?" Gippal asked, his face still stuck under the machine hood.

Rikku tugged at her bikini top and silently mocked him. There wasn't a single bit of breeze out in the Bikanel Desert. "I could be sitting here naked and still be pouring sweat!" She complained, while curiously peering at what Gippal was doing under the hood.

"Oh stop your complaining, I am almost done here." Gippal grunted while attempting to loosen a stubborn bolt.

They had been out in the middle of the Bikanel desert for hours trying to repair a broken down machina that was used to deliver water to the Bikanel excavation camp. Normally this matter would have been overseen by Rikku's father Cid, as he was the leader of her people the Al Bhed. But Cid had been gone for a week now, called out to thunder plains to help Al Bheds get the lightning rods functioning properly again.

Unfortunately for Rikku, her father had called Gippal away from his work at Djose Temple, and had asked him to help out around Home and to be his second in command while he was away. Her father had always trusted Gippal, and had a newfound respect for the strong Al Bhed man since the Vegnagun incident.

Rikku had argued and stamped her feet when she had found out that Gippal was coming. "I can handle this pop! Don't send Gippal here! As if his giant ego needs to be inflated even more!"

Her father simply laughed deeply. "Now Rikku, Gippal is better suited to help out here! He's older for one. You're only what? 20? He's at least 25…I think…" Her father has scratched his head thinking about how old Gippal was.

"He's 26 pop. But he acts like a 3 year old!" Rikku huffed.

"Kinda like you are doing now huh kiddo? I'll be back in a month or so. Everything will be ok. You can handle things along with Gippal."

Rikku crossed her hands over her chest. "Hmph! As if saving the world not once…but twice wasn't good enough for you!"

Her father pretended not to hear as he kept packing his things away. Gippal had arrived the next day, looking cockier than ever. Cid left him with orders to keep an eye on things around Home and help out with any duties that may come up.

A week later and Rikku found herself being dragged out to the middle of the desert to help him repair this hunk of junk they were standing on.

"Why do you always bring me with you Gippal? I could be Home right now helping with plenty of other things!" Rikku kicked the side of the machina in frustration.

Gippal looked up from the machina and flashed Rikku a grin. "Well Princess, I am just doing what your father told me to do. He wanted me to bring you along with me. TRUST ME, I could think of plenty of better company to bring along, but I'm just following orders. Besides, you keep me well entertained out here with your clumsiness and absent-minded rambling…." Gippal flicked her nose and continued to work.

Rikku felt her face grow hot at his insult. She knew he was just playing with her. He had always been that way to her. Like a very annoying older brother would be.

"You are such an idiot." Rikku said, rubbing the tip of her nose.

After 30 more minutes of Gippal working away, he finally stood back and asked Rikku to climb down and power the transport machina up.

She slid down the ladder easily and landed with a thump onto the sand below. Rikku then walked to a small control panel on the side of the large machina and flipped two switches. The transport whirred to life and hovered above the sand. Large water jugs that sat inside the machina vibrated and clanked together as it warmed up.

"Hah! I knew it was that damn number 4 cylinder! The hardest one to get to of course. But leave it to me to get it fixed. Thank you! Thank you!" Gippal slammed the hood of the machina shut and jumped down beside Rikku. She simply rolled her eyes at the gloating Al Bhed and stomped toward their airship. He laughed as he gathered up his tools and supplies and headed after her.

"Come on Princess, lets follow this thing back to camp and let Nhadala know that everything is ok with it now." He wiped his oil stained hands on the front of his work shirt and climbed into the airship. Rikku followed in after him.

As they hovered above the machina, it took off slowly, towards the Bikanel excavation camp.

By the time they reached the camp along with the machina, the sun had begun to set. Gippal landed the airship right outside of the camp, and jumped out as the transport machina arrived with the water for the campers. Grateful Al Bhed came out to meet it and took the water inside of nearby tents.

Nhadala greeted them happily and asked if they would like to stay for dinner, a thank you for helping to locate and repair the transport machina.

Both of them agreed happily since they hadn't eaten at all that day and were hot and tired from the journey.

Nhadala showed them to separate tents where they could freshen up before dinner.

Rikku went inside her tent, and pulled out her singer dressphere. It was the only one she had with her at the time. She frowned and then decided it was better to wear that then to wear her dirty outfit she had on. She changed into her singer's outfit and put her thief dressphere on her bed.

Her hair, although up in a ponytail, looked windblown. She took her hair town and ran a brush through it. Then she rubbed at a small black smudge that was dotted on her nose where Gippal had flicked it earlier. She smirked as she wiped her face clean.

"He can be such a jerk sometimes." She thought as she put her hair back up into its usual style. Though she had to admit to herself that he had actually improved some since the Vegnagun incident had ended. She remembered when they had first seen each other after many years at Djose while she was with the Gullwings. He had been the same old Gippal she could remember. Cocky, cool and always teasing everyone. Especially her.

Suddenly she heard people laughing as they walked past her tent. She noticed that the sun had gone down completely, and it was most likely time for dinner. She walked out of her tent and followed the workers to a small clearing in the middle of camp, greeting people as she went. The night was cool and crisp. The complete opposite of the scorching heat she had endured earlier. That's how Bikanel was though. Hot during the day, but cool at night.

She saw that the workers had sat four long tables out under the stars, and were busy roasting several types of foods over open fires around the camp. Rikku smiled to herself. She missed being able to sit with friends like this and just have a good time. She hadn't been able to do this all that much since things had changed at Home. She was glad to be able to do it now.

As she approached the crowd, Gippal walked up behind her. "Hey there Cid's Girl. You finally get over your…. heat exhaustion?" As he said the last words he dramatically put his hand to his forehead and pretended to fall towards Rikku. She put her hands on his chest and shoved him back as hard as she could.

"Jerk! Hey! Where did you get the change of clothes?! I had to use my dressphere!"

Gippal grinned. "I always keep a change of clothes on the airship. Just in case I find any hot ladies I might want to look good for." He winked at her and laughed.

She had to admit that he did look very nice. He wore dark blue jeans, black boots and a long sleeved maroon dress shirt. She noticed that he had the top few buttons undone on the shirt revealing his muscular chest underneath. She rarely saw him out of his usual getup or a work jumpsuit.

As they entered the area with the tables, Rikku spotted an old friend of hers she hadn't seen in a while. She ran over to her and the two of them greeted each other warmly. Gippal watched them, grinning slightly at the enthusiasm of the Al Bhed Princess.

"Gippal, would you like to come and join me?" Nhadala had walked up behind him.

"Sure thing, Nhadala." Gippal said, as he took one last glance at Rikku and walked with the Bikanel camp leader to one of the tables and took a seat.

Rikku allowed herself to be led by her friend over to a table of grinning Al Bhed workers. When she sat down she noticed that Gippal had taken a seat a few tables over from her. As he sat down five female Al Bheds practically knocked themselves over trying to get a seat by the handsome visitor. Nhadala gave them each a reproachful look before seating herself next to Gippal. The other ladies followed and turned their attentions to the grinning guest.

Rikku rolled her eyes as she noticed that all of the girls looked like they were about to go out for a night on the town. They were all dressed up with heavy makeup. One girl looked like she was going to a wedding with her hair curled and put up and her lashes coated with mascara. She wore a dress that was suited for the middle of summer in Luca maybe, but not a cold desert night in Bikanel. She shivered as she flashed her most dazzling grin at Gippal who was chatting with Nhadala.

Rikku turned her attention back to her friend who had started to speak to her.

"Rikku I am so glad you visited! You look so much more grown up than before!"

Rikku smiled widely at her friend's compliment. She had always been considered such a child to everyone she knew, even though she was now 20. So when the rare compliment about her maturity came up it pleased her greatly.

She glanced back at Gippal's table as the girl with the overdone hair giggled loudly. Gippal's green eye met her's at the same time and he grinned and stuck his tongue out at her.

Every one of the girls' heads turned in her direction at the same time to see what was taking the attentions of their eye candy away from them. Rikku practically felt the daggers stab into her heart when they looked at her.

She turned around quickly, not wanting to provoke the wrath of five hormonally driven females. She and her friend continued to chat happily with everyone at their table, pausing now and then to sample all of the goodies that were being put in front of them. After dinner had finished Rikku leaned back with her comfortably full belly and joked around with an Al Bhed worker. Suddenly she noticed that everyone's focus was behind her and the table grew quieter. She turned around and found her face practically in Gippal's crotch.

"ARGH!" She yelled as she jerked her head backwards.

"Whoa Cid's Girl, I like you and everything but you are moving a little too fast for me. I knew those rumors I heard about you were true." He winked at her as he pulled up a chair and sat backwards in it. The table stifled their laughter at his comment.

"Oh you think you are so funny don't you, you big jerk. Maybe if you would stop sneaking up on me crazy things like that wouldn't happen!"

Gippal let out a loud laugh and scooted closer in to Rikku, much to the disappointment of his fan girls at his table. Slightly annoyed, Rikku scooted over to give him some room next to her. He picked up a small tomato that was left over on Rikku's plate and popped it into his mouth.

"So Princess, you havin' fun over here without me?"

"I always have more fun without you, thank you very much." Rikku said crossing her arms over her chest. Rikku's friend giggled a little and blushed when Gippal smiled at her. "Aww Princess you aren't being very nice to me tonight. What did I do to you?" He slapped a hurt puppy expression on his face and stared at her.

Rikku could have sworn that half of the girls' hearts in the vicinity exploded right then and there. Not her's though. She was used to this silliness from Gippal.

"Oh wipe that stupid expression off your face idiot." She threw a nearby olive at Gippal who caught it quickly and started to throw it back at her. Before he could, though the camp became eerily quiet. The grin on Gippal's face immediately fell and something flashed in his green eye. Rikku saw him focused on something behind her shoulder. A deep loud voice sounded behind her.

"If any of you make any sudden moves you will certainly die."

Chapter 1 END

Well what did you guys think!? Please let me know of any improvements with my writing or vocab or spelling that you could find and keep the criticisms constructional. If you downright hated the story, I am really sorry since this is my first attempt at writing a fanfic! If you loved it please let me know! I already have chapter 2 written and it should be up very shortly! Thanks so much for reading!

GippalGurl