Here's Chapter 2 of my Rikku/ Gippal story: Memory Lost
Thanks for the great reviews everyone! I really do appreciate it.
Chapter 2:
Rikku turned slowly to find five people standing around the various tables, all holding guns. They were pointing them in the workers' direction. A very tall man with dark red hair and light blue eyes stood nearest Rikku's table. If he hadn't been pointing a gun in her direction, Rikku would have thought that he was very handsome.
"We are here for one purpose," he spoke again, his voice like velvet, "And we do not want to hurt anyone. We will, though, if we are forced. Now, we are looking for the princess of the Al Bhed. Rikku. We know that she is here in your camp. Show yourself princess!"
Rikku inhaled sharply as she heard her name. What did these people want with her!? She felt Gippal's strong hand grip her wrist under the table. She didn't dare glance over at him, too afraid that the tall man would spot her move and know something was up.
The man turned and walked slowly away from her table scanning every woman in the crowd for a sign that she was the one they were looking for. Apparently they had not seen any pictures or Rikku's image all over the television a while back. She and the rest of her friends had been plastered over all the media outlets in Spira after Vegnagun.
"Hmm, all of you filthy Al Bhed look the same. Blonde hair, green eyes, dirty clothes…." Rikku heard an angry sounding woman talk behind her. The woman was holding a large machine gun that looked like it was almost too much for her to handle.
"Well, it seems that the Princess is hesitating to volunteer her identity. I will just have to be a little more….persuasive."
The red haired man smiled slightly and grasped a nearby worker girl by her upper arm. Yanking her up violently, he pointed his gun to her temple. Tears began streaming from her eyes, but she did not budge. Rikku knew that none of her people would give her up that easily.
"You have to the count of ten to reveal yourself Princess, or this sweet young girl will lose her life. Do you really want that on your conscience?"
Rikku and many others gasped. She glanced at Gippal who tightened his grip on her wrist.
"One!"
Rikku glanced around for any kind of weapon she could use.
"Two!"
There was nothing. And besides she couldn't take on so many people without hurting one of her own.
"Three!"
What was she going to do?
"Four!"
"Don't move." Gippal whispered so quietly she barely thought she heard correctly.
"Five! Time is running out quickly Rikku! Six!"
Rikku looked into Gippal's narrowed eye. On his face was a look of pure anger. And understanding. He knew that Rikku would not sacrifice any of her own people for her safety.
"Seven! Be assured that I am not playing a game here Princess! This girl will DIE! Eight! NINE!"
Rikku wrenched free of Gippal's grasp and stood quickly. "Don't hurt her! I am Rikku, the person you are looking for. What do you want with me?"
Instantly all of the weapons that the people held were pointed in her direction. Gippal stood up quickly and moved in front of Rikku protectively. The read haired man smiled and released the crying girl who sat down quickly.
He walked slowly over to Rikku, his long brown coat swishing quietly over the sand.
"Well, I am glad for your sake and for the girl's that you finally showed yourself Al Bhed Princess. I was beginning to think that you would let her die. Who might this be? Your knight in shining armor here to protect you?"
Gippal stood to his full intimidating height, completely blocking Rikku and standing at least a foot taller than the red haired man. This didn't seem to faze the stranger in the least.
Gippal spoke through clenched teeth, attempting to hold in his anger. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"
The stranger simply smiled. "I don't really think that it is any of your concern. But trust me if we wanted to harm your little Princess it would have already been done. This is unnecessary. Why don't you have a seat?"
The man waved his hand in front of Gippal's face and Rikku immediately felt his body stiffen up and shudder. He then went limp and flopped down into his seat. Unconscious.
"Gippal!" Rikku yelled reaching for his limp form.
"I wouldn't do that Princess." The man said. "No sudden moves. He is alive, rest assured. He is simply…out of the way. We don't need any trouble from him. Now, I need you to follow me. Again, do anything stupid and people will get hurt."
Rikku stood up again and gave Nhadala and the rest of the workers a reassuring look. She didn't want any of them trying to come to her rescue, just to end up getting shot. Slowly and quietly she followed the red haired man while his gang of thugs followed behind her, still pointing their guns in the workers' direction.
Rikku watched as the woman in the group fell in step beside the red haired man. "Remoro, we need to hurry…you know…"
Remoro interrupted her. "Selime, I understand, we are fine. Be patient."
The girl named Selime flashed her black eyes at Rikku before returning her gaze to Remoro. She remained quiet, though.
Rikku followed the group through the cool desert night, her path lit up only by the full moon. They walked up and over a large sand hill and emerged into a clearing where a small airship was waiting.
A small man with glasses ran quickly up to them fidgeting nervously. His sandy colored hair stuck out in tufts all along his head. "Remoro! Selime! I was beginning to worry! Did you get the Prin-" He stopped talking when he noticed Rikku standing in the middle of the group of people.
"Ahh good, you managed to get her I see. Your airship is ready to go. Hurry we don't have much time. Her father will be notified soon enough, if he hasn't been already." The small man walked over to the largest airship and then communicated something into a comsphere. Rikku heard a voice crackle through on the sphere loudly.
"Hurry! They've killed….He woke up….Coming….your way...!"
Remoro spat his words out vehemently. "Dammit! Get her on the airship and let's get out of here, sounds like her knight has woken up from my spell."
Selime grabbed Rikku roughly around her upper arm and heaved her onto the ship. Remoro's group followed in behind them and the ship powered up. Selime jumped behind the ship's controls while Remoro continued to stand guard over Rikku.
"Have a seat Rikku. You'll be here for a while anyway, so you might as well make yourself comfortable." He smiled and motioned to an empty seat beside a window. Rikku said nothing to the man, but simply lowered herself into the seat and glared up at him.
Suddenly she saw Remoro focus his eyes behind her. She turned to look out the window, and gasped when she saw Gippal sprinting down the hill followed by the other Al Bhed workers.
"Should we take care of them?" Selime spoke up from her seat at the airship controls.
"No need. They can't do anything. We have what we wanted. Let's just get out of here."
Selime punched a couple of buttons and the airship jolted forward leaving Gippal and the crowd behind.
"At least Gippal is ok…" Rikku thought as the crowd grew smaller and smaller beneath her.
Chapter 2 END
Well, did you guys like it!? Please Please let me know! And let me know of any improvements/spelling/grammar mistakes I made! I really appreciate constructive criticism. Helps me improve my writing skills!
Thanks for reading! Chapter three will be up soon!
