A/N: Long live the Machine Faction! Long live Gippal! Also, I notice that there are things said in here that are in Al Bhed. I don't think it's the same Al Bhed as the kind in FFX and X-2, but it was the only kind of Al Bhed that I could find online. E-mail me if you want the translations.
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"Hey, Seifer!" a voice called, causing said blonde to turn. Hayner, leader of the Usual Gang, was running up to him, his wild hair in an even bigger disarray than normal. Neraly tripping over his feet, the dirty blonde skidded to a halt a few feet from Seifer.
"What is it, blondie?" Seifer said, making sure the tone of his voice was indifferent. Hayner glared for a moment before letting Seifer's name for him drop.
"You seen the posters?" he asked, panting from the running he had done. Confused, Seifer shook his head.
"What, the ones you put up for the Struggle tournament?" he asked, his tone taunting. Instead of growling or attacking him like Seifer thought he would, Hayner just frowned and ran off. Watching the boy run off, Seifer shrugged and began to walk back to the Sandlot, where the Disciplinary Commitee was waiting for him. However, a voice stopped him yet again.
"Sheesh, Seifer! Couldn't you wait for just another moment?" Hayner ran up to him yet again, a poster clasped into his hands. Sefier grabbed it and inspected it, a little shocked.
"So...what's this?" Hayner shrugged as Seifer handed the poster back to him.
"I dunno. I've never heard of this Gippal kid, either. Maybe we should look into this?" Hayner's eyes were concerned. Seifer laughed.
"Yeah, we should. After all, this 'Machine Faction' had better know the rules of this town..."
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Hayner glanced up at the large warehouse dubiously. "You sure this is the place, Seifer?" Seifer nodded.
"It's the address that the posters have...this has to be it," he muttered. Hayner couldn't hear him, however, through the din that was coming from the large structure in front of them.
"What's that?" he hollered, his voice barely audible over the noise. Seifer shook his head and pointed towards the large door in front of the two of them. Hayner nodded and stepped forward, pushing the door. It didn't open. He leaned his weight against it, pushing as hard as he could. Nothing worked. Seifer, laughing, poked Hayner and pointed to a small sign on the door. 'Pull', it said. Hayner, whose face was now redder than a ripe tomato, pulled the door open and stepped inside, Seifer following him.
They thought they were ready for anything. But...maybe 'anything' didn't apply to what was happening here. The large warehouse was filled with machines and machine parts. The smell of oil and ozone filled the room, so strong it nearly knocked Seifer out.
"At least we know where the noises are coming from," Hayner said over the noise, pointing to a figure that was hunched over some sort of machine. He or she was holding a drill and was contentedly drilling a hole in the side of the heap of metal. As the two blonde boys approached, the figure looked up. Standing, it was now quite apparent that the figure was a girl. Her face was covered by a strange gas mask- goggles combination that was bright red. She approached the two, wiping her grease-covered fingers on her (very short!) white shorts.
"En!" she said, removing her mask to reveal her spiky blonde hair and slanted green eyes. "E rix hishoud! Ayo mnyoct degi nul dy Gippal." Her face twisted in confusion at Seifer and Hayner's blank looks. "Nefi ayo nud ayoh nietm?" She sighed and set her drill down. "You're both new recruits, aren't you?" she asked. Seifer and Hayner both shook their heads.
"We're the leaders of the other gangs in the area...can we meet your leader?" Seifer said, his voice cocky. The woman laughed.
"Gang? Is that what you're calling us?" Hayner nodded, confused.
"What else could you be?" he asked. The woman laughed again.
"We're the Machine Faction. We're most of what's left of a nomadic race of people, the Al Bhed," she said, turning to face the others behind her.
"Nyct! Myliyri ky kid Gippal ert neoc num myhha emm yfih nihi!" she yelled. In the distance, Seifer and Hayner saw several of the figures that were tinkering with various heaps of metal jump up and run off in different directions. With a smile, she turned to the two boys. "So, may I ask your names?" Hayner grinned.
"I'm Hayner, leader of the Usual Gang," he said, bowing dramaticaly. Seifer scowled at the woman's giggle.
"I'm Seifer, leader of the Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee," he said, dead set on not trying to impress the woman. In response to him, the woman nodded.
"My name is Berma...in my language. In your language...it's Pansy. I am second in command to Gippal, our leader," she said, drawing herself up proudly. Seifer snorted. Berma scowled at him and was about to give a snappy retort when a voice behind her stopped her.
"Ed iemi, Berma. Dni pya um wyycumn dy ortihimduledi ayo." A man, obviously younger than Berma but older than Seifer and Hayner stepped forward, grinning. His hair was the same bright blonde as Berma's and he had the same deep green eyes. Instead of the goggles and grease-stained clothing that everyone else wore, however, he wore a bright purple shirt and matching pantaloons, with knee-length boots. An eyepatch covered his left eye. He turned and grinned at the two boys in front of him. "So...you're the leaders of the other gangs? Nice to meet ya. I'm Gippal, leader of the Machine Faction!" He shoved his hand in the space between them, expecting a handshake. Hayner shook his hand gladly, but Seifer just scowled at Gippal.
"So..." Hayner began, not sure of what to say. Gippal grinned.
"Don't worry. We're not going to enroach on your territory or anything. Our only interest is to work with machines...or machina, if that's what you call 'em." He spread his arms wide and turned to view the large warehouse filled with Al Bhed working on various machines. "I love machines and what they can do. I love their power!" he said, his voice filled with pride. "Even though our race, the Al Bhed, are so few in number compared to how we used to be, I don't think we've ever been more powerful as a society." He turned to Seifer, who was still scowling. "I think you should try working on machines yourself. It's quite calming and relieves stress." His voice was teasing. Seifer's scowl deepened.
"I don't need stress relief. I need to make sure that everyone obeys the laws of Twilight Town," he grumbled, walking off towards the door. Gippal laughed as he watched Seifer leave.
"Dned pya esdm cugi ni'm kyd e mdusg ob num emm..." he muttered, amused. He turned to Hayner, smiling. "So, would you like the grand tour?" Hayner shook his head.
"If it's okay, I'd like to bring the rest of the gang tomorrow," he said politely. As he noticed Gippal's eyebrows raise, he laughed. "Calm down, there's only three of us total!" Gippal grinned.
"Not much of a gang is it?" he said, almost rhetorically. Hayner snorted and turned to look at the machine Berma was working on. Its structure was vaguely humanoid, with a head that looked much like a smushed grape, bowed legs, and arms that seemed to be stuck in a permanant ninety-degree angle.
"What's this thing?" he asked, prodding the head slightly. Berma frowned and smacked Hayner's hand.
"It's a machina, from a place called Bevelle. It's broken, but I think I can fix it..." she had sunk back down and continued to fiddle with the machina before finishing her sentence. She looked up at Gippal, concerned. "Ehi ayo mohi ud'm mewi dy dicc nul ecc dnum?" Gippal nodded.
"Ud'm wuri," he smiled and patted Berma on the back. He turned to Hayner and nodded, putting his hands on his hips. "So, tomorrow, then?" Hayner nodded.
"Yep. Same time?" Gippal grinned.
"Sounds good to me. I'll warn my men. Wehixicc!" Gippal waved. Hayner laughed as he went out the door.
"Wehixicc!"
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Olette frowned as Hayner approached the large warehouse the next day.
"Hayner, are you sure this is the place? This looks more like a bad gang's place," she said, worried. Hayner just rolled his eyes and laughed.
"C'mon, Olette. Are you sure you're not just half-chicken?" Olette frowned and put her hands on her hips in annoyance.
"Are you sure you're not half-psycho?" she retorted. Hayner grinned widely.
"I'm not just sure, I'm certain!" he said, opening the door to the warehouse, causing it to screech loudly. Olette and Pence walked in first, Hayner following them. When they walked in, there was still the noise of the drills and other mechanical equipment, but it wasn't as loud as it had been the day before. Hayner stepped forward to see the machina that Berma had been working on left where it had been the day before. Berma wasn't there, however, and Hayner frowned.
"Uhm...Hayner?" Pence asked nervously.
"What, Pence?" Hayner asked. Pence looked down at his feet.
"Are you sure they're here?" he asked nervously. Hayner nodded.
"Gippal's not the sort to make an appointment and skip it," he said. Then, he got an idea. "BERMA, GIPPAL! WE'RE HERE!" he yelled as loud as he can. When nothing happened, his face spread into a wicked grin. "Fine, Berma, you asked for it," he said, grinning at the machina. He kicked its smushed-grape head, making a ringing sound louder than the noise of the drills. As if on cue, Berma appeared, covered in grease and frowning violently.
"Emmnyci," she muttered, pushing Hayner away from the machina. Her green eyes glared up at him as she inspected the machina's head. "This'd better not be broken or you're gonna get it! U net vomd wurumnit wuqurk ud dyy..." While Berma was grumbling, Gippal poked his head around a pile of scrap metal.
"Hey, Hayner!" he said, walking up and giving said blonde boy an enormous hug. Olette giggled and Pence laughed as Hayner struggled in the older boy's grasp. Hayner was just about to bite Gippal's hand when the older boy let go, grinning from ear-to-ear. However, his grin was not for Hayner, but Olette. Gippal rushed up to her, grabbing and kissing her hand earnestly.
"You...are so so beautiful, lady. May I inquire your name?" he asked, his voice flirty. Olette giggled, but Hayner stepped up, scowling.
"Her name is Olette. She's part of my gang." He wrapped a posessive arm around Olette's shoulders. Olette frowned, but didn't say anthing. Gippal's grin just grew wider.
"Well, I'll just have to ask her to join the Machine Faction, then. There's not enough brunettes in this place..." his voice lowered to a grumble at his last words. Olette smiled.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I don't know anything about machines..." her voice was apologetic.
"I do!" Pence called from his perch on a scrap heap. He rushed up, grinning. "I know a lot about machines!" Hayner frowned.
"So you're just going to desert us, Pence?" he asked, his tone dark. Gippal laughed.
"No, no. I'm not asking you to quit your gang. I'm asking you to join our...club. You can be part of both, can't you?" He grinned at Hayner. "You're all welcome, you know." Hayner frowned.
"Fine..." he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. Gippal grinned and rubbed his hands together.
"Ecchuknd! Welcome to the Machine Faction, Hayner, Olette, Pence! You're now officially grease monkeys!" Olette grinned. Hayner sighed. Pence cheered.
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A/N: So...how was it? Was it okay? Also, a poll for you people who do read this: I was thinking about writing one about Hayner and Seifer being taken to Bikanel to dig. Should I write it? Do you have a better idea? And remember...R&R!