Rikku lay her head on the soft green grass, panting.
"It's been so long," she murmured in between breaths.
Gippal, bent over with his hands resting on his knees, straightened out and smiled sadly back at her from a few metres away.
"It's been too long."
Rikku's cheeks flushed scarlet. She hadn't realised he had heard what she'd said.
She jumped to her feet and gazed out at the grassy hill, temporarily transformed to an icy wasteland, thanks to her recently acquired magic skills and a lot of Ice Gems.
"We haven't done anything fun like this since before… since we were kids."
She had been going to say, 'before we left Home', but she didn't want to remind him… remind herself of that. She'd forgotten after so many years, but now she remembered how much she had missed him, and still did.
"Well, then, let's go!" said Gippal, walking towards the icy slope. They took a run-up and leapt, sliding down on their boots. Their backsides were already damp and sore from numerous stacks, but after a few attempts, all the memories came back and they were balancing as well as they had when they were young. The wind blew through her hair, whipping her braids behind her and she laughed. It was so simple and silly, but she still loved it. The ice gently thinned out back into grass and they ran, gradually slowing to a stop in the green clearing. The grassy hills between Bevelle and the Calm Lands were perfect for running down ice.
"That was awesome!" cried Rikku. "I love doing this."
Gippal grinned and playfully pushed her.
"Not the first time you tried. Remember, you were crying because you were so scared, so I had to help you down."
"Whatever," she muttered, shaking her head. "Remember, I was the one who helped you! You would have smacked right into that rock if I hadn't pulled you out of the way."
"Pulled? You were so freaked out; you were grabbing me so tight that we fell out of the way!"
She snorted.
"Yeah right. The only one worse than you at this is Brother."
"You tell it your way, I'll tell it mine," said Gippal. "Now come on, I'll race you back up, kid."
Rikku put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes.
"Gippal, you know I'm faster than you. And you hate losing."
"Not up the grassy bit," he explained, pulling her away from the green edges of the hill. "Up the ice. Think you can handle it, kiddo?"
She put her fingers to her chin, then after a momentary pause, she grinned.
"Go!" yelled Gippal, getting a head start.
"No fair!" she called from behind him.
"Deal with it, Princess!"
She sprinted, taking wider steps to keep balance. She was slowly catching up to him, when he pushed her sideways. She lurched back and forth and somehow regained her balance
"Gippal!"
He laughed at her and then turned around again to keep running up the hill. He was running slower now; he didn't need to try so hard now that she was behind. Rikku sprinted behind him just as they were getting to the top and launched herself onto his back. He lurched forward, but was still running, while she clung helplessly to him. His back was warm and solid, kinda reassuring to be resting on. Once the grass was in sight, he collapsed forwards and she tumbled off his back.
"That was mean!" answered Rikku, poking her tongue out at him.
"Sorry, won't happen again, ma'am," he said with a grin.
"It was, Gippal, it was very mean! But I guess I can forgive you…"
"Hey!" exclaimed Gippal as she sat on him. She grinned mischievously and rested her head on his back. He winced.
"What's wrong?" she said worriedly.
"Just an old scar…"
She gently pulled back his collar and saw a pale gunshot wound with tiny red veins branching out from it.
"Is that… is that where..?"
"Yep, that's where Nooj shot me," he said with a wry smile.
She thought back to the Bevelle Underground, when the three men held each other at gunshot and those Pyreflies consumed Baralai. Gippal didn't try to fight Nooj like Baralai did… he even held his gun to Baralai's head to stop him…
"You were very forgiving," she said thoughtfully.
"What do you mean?" he asked, turning over onto his back.
"Well, you didn't realise Shuyin made him do it until the whole Vegnagun thing, did you?"
He paused and began ripping out the grass.
"I knew it wasn't him though. I don't think 'Lai understood, he just thought Nooj betrayed us. But I could tell… he wasn't himself… there was…"
He turned and stared her right in the eyes. The serious, fiery look in his eye scared her slightly. She'd never seen him look like this.
"There was something really evil in that cave… the Den of Woe… That's what made Nooj shoot us. I knew it wasn't him…"
He gazed off into the distance and Rikku could do nothing but gently rest her head against his shoulder.
"Hello? 'Lai?"
Baralai shook himself out of his daze and saw Gippal waving his hand in front of his face.
"What? Sorry," he apologised.
Paine sighed impatiently.
"Baralai, what's with you tonight?" she asked, and then the conversation carried on without him.
Baralai stuck his fork into a piece of marinated beef and chewed slowly. He was so exhausted. When Gippal had shown up at in the middle of the night a few days ago, he didn't fall back to sleep for ages and hadn't had the chance to catch up the hours since. He was swamped with work. He had been trying for the past two month or so to get New Yevon to unite with the other political parties, as the Youth League had done with the Guado and Ronso. They'd finally started to improve relations with the Guado, Ronso and Al Bhed after a month of debate, but the elder and more influential members of the party were stubborn and still refused to join the Youth League. Even the younger priests thought they were being stupid; if the Guado and Ronso can put aside their differences, why couldn't they? And then there was the new Machine Faction branch the Al Bhed wanted to build… he wasn't too sure, but he was planning to go discuss it with Gippal when he had the chance.
"I saw an old friend of mine, Dyrran the other day. We were at Academy together."
"Academy?" asked Gippal.
Baralai swallowed his mouthful.
"You know, what they call school in Bevelle," he explained.
"Oh," said Rikku. "You know Gip, we call it Maynharc."
"Pardon?" asked Baralai.
"'Learners'," explained Paine. "I always forget you don't speak Al Bhed."
"Well, it's not really what the monks and priests teach you. I was educated at the local temple, until I left for the Squad."
Gippal shook his head as if embarrassed for him.
"See, you Yevonites learn boring, useless things like calligraphy and... singing! Us Al Bhed learn important stuff-"
"-like fixing up machina-"
"-and how to hold your own in a fight."
"Yup yup. I'd prefer Maynharc to Academy or temples any time!" cried Rikku.
"Damn straight!" agreed Gippal.
They high-fived and burst into laughter. Baralai smiled. It was so nice to see them so close and having fun, even after such a long time apart. Rikku was such a nice girl too; he'd only met her a few times before, but she had always treated him as if they were great friends, and now they were. Gippal and Rikku were pretty different; Rikku a sunshiny sweetheart, Gippal a bit more subdued, but a joker at heart. Together though, they were like salt and pepper; they were different and fine by themselves, but together… look out! When they were together, they were like kids (well, for Rikku, more like kids) and did all sorts of silly, fun things. Their presence was refreshing after a long day working with stuffy old priests… though Baralai couldn't talk. At the rate he was going at, he'd probably end up like them. Paine was right, he was working too hard. But he wouldn't have to if those stupid upper party members just agreed to unite with the other leaders of Spira…
"'Lai!"
Baralai shook his head and looked up.
"Yevon, 'Lai, you actually need to sleep more and work less!" said an exasperated Paine.
"How can you be bothered tying your hair in braids everyday?" asked Gippal, fingering the golden plaits with his callused fingers. They were soft and smelled of lemon. He noticed she didn't pull away as he played with her ponytail.
"Well… you have to promise not to tell anyone," said Rikku, looking around worriedly.
Baralai, whom the two Al Bheds had managed to convince to come out for lunch, looked at her questioningly.
"You see, whenever I saw Yunie as a kid, she'd always braid my hair. So when she joined the Gullwings, she did the same."
"But she left ages ago!"
Rikku glanced around anxiously, and signaled the two men to move in closer.
"Yeah, but she convinced Paine to do it one day… and she loved it, so now she's done it every morning since," whispered Rikku.
Baralai stared at her incredulously while Gippal burst into laughter. Paine? Of all people, Paine does Rikku's braids everyday. Rikku pouted in annoyance.
"Shh! You can't tell anyone! If she finds out I told you guys…"
"I never thought she'd be into that sort of thing," said Baralai thoughtfully.
"Dr. P likes to do hair?"
"Dr. P also likes her friends to keep quiet about her secrets," said Paine, arriving on the scene and glaring at Rikku, who seemed to shrink. "I leave you guys alone for ten minutes to go get cake and this happens. I guess you're back to just seventy-four respect points now, Rikku…"
"Aw, poopie face. I just earned a whole bunch last week!"
She shook her head vigorously and all her braids with it. They glistened and danced in the light, almost hypnotically.
"Shall we go now?" asked Baralai.
The four of them headed to a quiet little park near one of the smaller rivers of Bevelle. Gippal plonked himself on the sweet-smelling grass and rested his head back against the shady bay tree behind him.
"Tysn, it's so nice to take a break…" he sighed, closing his eyes and enjoying the golden rays of sunlight streaming through the leafy canopy above.
"A break from what, exactly?" asked Rikku mischievously. "I thought you said you'd come to Bevelle on official business, and whenever I see you, I catch you lounging around."
"Hey, I have been working, which is more than I can say for you, Cid's Girl."
"E ryja y hysa… (I have a name…)"
Paine rolled her eyes at them, which made Gippal laugh harder. Baralai smiled and began slicing up the berry cream cake Paine had brought.
"You girls are lucky you don't have to sit in an office all day. I'm so sick of work," said Gippal listlessly, pulling little fuzzy grains of a stalk of long grass.
He actually was. Things had been getting so busy, but somehow, it seemed slower slower. They were engineering more machina than ever, but it never seemed enough; they had to keep building more and more. Khano, his second-in-command, said there was just more demand for machina, but Gippal had the feeling it was something more. Maybe it was just growing up in fear of Sin or those traumatising years in the Crimson Squad, but he'd learnt to listen to his instincts. For the past several months, he was sure something was off, and something huge was going to happen…
"...You guys are stupid…" said Paine, shaking her head. Baralai was resting on his elbows, silently shaking with laughter, while Rikku was trying to lick cream off her nose, giggling hysterically. Gippal loved her laugh. It was so golden and happy. After he'd reunited with her a week or two ago, everything had been great. With her around, it was like every day was a holiday; everything was so fun and life seemed simpler, like when they were young.
"This cake is amazing, Paine!"
"Dyrran made it. He's great at this sort of thing and his artwork… it's incredible."
Baralai nodded in agreement.
"I think he's coming in next week to paint a mural of the courtyards at the palace, it should be great."
Rikku nodded enthusiastically, and then turned suddenly to Gippal.
"Someone's awfully quiet today, Mister. What's up?"
Gippal sighed and stretched his muscles.
"Nothing. I'm just relaxed, that's all. Everything's good."
She wrinkled her nose, then leaned her head against his shoulder. Her presence was warm and comforting, and he kinda… well, it was sorta embarassing, but he kinda wanted to know what her lips felt like…
"Well, that's good. But it's still freaking me out a bit that you're being quiet for once."
He glanced at her with concern, but she was smiling contently with her eyes closed and he gave a satisfied sigh. Everything was good.
One thing Paine prided herself on was her readiness for anything. She always packed light, and could leave at a moments notice, so long as she had her sword and a bottle of sake.
"What're you doing, Dr. P?"
She glanced up at the tall, one-eyed Al Bhed leaning in the doorway.
"Didn't Rikku tell you?"
"Didn't Rikku tell me what?" he asked, staring at the unbelievably small backpack she was managing to fit all she needed into.
"My parents were in a hover accident," answered Paine, slinging the bag onto her shoulders. "At the Moonflow. I need to go down there. Dad's doing ok; he just has a broken arm I think…"
"Your mother?"
She paused, and stared down at her neatly made bed.
"We… we don't know yet. She's in a serious condition, but she should be fine…" she trailed off. Images of the worst kept flashing through her mind... her mother... a lifeless body trapped under machina wreckage... like those Crusaders and Al Bhed on the beach three years ago...
"Are Brother and Buddy swinging by to pick you up?" asked Gippal, his voice piercing through her anguished thoughts.
Paine shook her head and walked towards the door.
"They actually listened to Cid for once and went to Bikanel to help. Besides, the Celsius has broken down. I'm catching a hover down south; it shouldn't take too long."
He nodded slowly. Paine leaned on the door impatiently. She had to leave, she had to leave now.
"I hope everything's ok, Paine. I'll see you soon?"
She gave him a small, rare smile and left the room, walking purposefully down the winding corridors. She took long, swift steps and turned the corner quickly, only to bump into someone. Stumbling backwards, he caught her by the shoulders.
"Sorry, are you alri- Paine, what's wrong?"
She looked up at Baralai's soft, brown eyes.
"I'm heading to the Moonflow. My parents were in a hover accident."
"Oh."
She could see him gazing into her eyes, searching for some clue to how she was feeling, but she gave nothing. Living with Sin had taught her that any sign of weakness could be fatal.
"I have to go."
He stared a bit longer, then finally let go of her shoulders and, released, she headed off.
"'Lai," she said, turning.
"Yes?"
"You two take care of Rikku. She wanted to come with me, but I told her to stay here; it's a family thing, you know."
He nodded, and she left, maybe for longer than she anticipated.
Ooh... the plot thickens! Well, that's what I reckon anyway...
Icicle Streams
