.-°-..-°-. Last Night .-°-..-°-.

Chapter 2

Memories

You've got a girlfriend and I can only
Talk about her for so very long
Then my mind turns into my heart
And whispers into that dark cave that I've been wronged

(Martha Wainwright)

. FLASHBACK .

"Rikku! Did you hear the news? Finally! Finally they made up their mind! Tidus and Yuna are getting married! They will marry, do you get it!? They announced it during the villagers meeting, today! This time it's so official! Isn't this absolutely great?!"

Probably this was the happiest Wakka she had ever seen.
His hands shaking her shoulders, his enthusiastic smile...

Too bad that his happiness, mixed with the news, was like a stab.

She was in utter, pure shock. Her brain just wouldn't work, she couldn't make up a single rational thought.

Seeing that Wakka was now staring perplexed at her, probably waiting to see his same reaction on her, she managed - after a few seconds of what would be commonly defined as a total paralysis - to put up a fake enthusiastic face. She knew she's be forever sick thinking back at that fakeness the very moment she improvised it.

"Yeeeeesss! That's wonderful!" she shouted with an exaggeratedly shrill voice, jumping like she was mad around Wakka and taking his hands; she was venting in that gesture all her anger, because there wasn't another way to vent it "And when? Where..?"

Wakka, finally seeing her so happy, brightened himself up again - he was really close to start jumping around like her himself.

"Surely in less than a month. I'm quite sure the ceremony will take place in Bevelle! I'm already so excited! There are thousand things that we must prepare! It has to be perfect! The marriage of the ex-High Summoner! Now if you'll excuse me, I must spread the news! See you later, Rikku!" his voice was so full of emotions...so fervent... Hearing the grumpy Wakka speaking like that would probably have caused her to burst into laughter, in another time and place.

But now...

Wakka hugged her quickly, patting her shoulder, then he ran away through the main path of Besaid.

Her mind was whirling around itself.
She felt lost und incapable to react.

They - they will...

She struggled to extract something which was not nonsense from the Chaos in her head.

They...

I don't want to see them.
I cant meet them, now. Can't look at their faces.

So she ran away, taking the first ship which was leaving from the Besaid port.

She actually had no idea where to go, neither did she care. The decision itself seemed absurd even to her, but in that moment she thought she had no alternatives.
Because just one thing was occupying her mind.

I can't look at their faces.

After having rent a Hover-Bike at the beginning of the Mihen Highroad, not even listening to the Al Bhed woman shouting she had forgotten the change, Rikku just drove for at least four hours, as fast as she can.

Pointlessly.

The faster she drove, the louder the wind screamed in her ears - and since that seemed to erase all of her thoughts, she was driving faster and faster.

Probably she wasn't even crying, or was she..?
She barely noticed night was falling because her thought just wouldn't leave her completely.

Why?

Why are you so surprised? Haven't you known this from always? Wasn't this as clear as the sun when you saw them kissing that night in Macalania lake? When you saw them reuniting in the sea of Besaid less than a year ago?

Wasn't this always just so obvious it seemed even stupid?

So why?
Why did you always live in an illusion?
Why have you always thought that it wasn't really sure, that maybe it was just-?
And the more thing were getting clearer, the more you cried for the impossible.
You did never really stop hoping.

Because you're stupid.

Rikku stopped, and dismounted the Hover-Bike.
She took a look around. The street was completely deserted, and apparently, completely silent too.
But there was not dead silence.

She concentrated and listened carefully to the sounds brought by the chilly night breeze.

Then she recognized the usual electric noises, accompanied by the lights - blue flashing lights in the night horizon.
The Temple of Djose.

I'm all alone

Her thoughts were hovering around, when suddenly the image of a certain Al Bhed guy with an eye-patch came to her mind.

So she ran towards the temple.

When the massive doors of the temple opened creaking, the group of Al Bhed people, who were having an animated discussion examining what seemed to be a new prototype of machina, got distracted by the sudden noise. They all turned to Rikku.

Among them there was Gippal, too.

And when he saw his old friend Rikku, 'Cid's brat', as he loved calling her - and by the way as she hated being called - he was both surprised and a little annoyed. The meeting he was in wasn't exactly a joke, and suspending it because of that little spoiled girl...

But when he saw her approaching the group of Al-Bhed, her spiral eyes completely void moving nervously in every direction until they met his good eye - her face, her arms, all so pale, even her lips contracted in a grimace he had never said before on her - his heart literally fell. He immediately felt guilty for the terrible and egoistic thought he had just had.

Rikku, the rainbow of the Al Bhed tribe, seemed to have now lost all her brightness.
She used to bring joy and light everywhere she went. Now she was a dead shade of grey, and she looked as if she was carrying a desèerate weight.

"Gippal.. " her voice was just a little louder than a whisper as she grabbed Gippal's shirt with trembling hands, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Never - he had never seen her in such a condition.

Gippal looked tentatively at the other Al Bhed, who were staring at them, perplexed but interested. He didn't know what to say.

"Famm... Kuut hekrd!" was all he managed to blurt out.

He hugged Rikku and dragged her away.

"Rikku..!? What the hell happened? Please, say something!"

But she just kept on crying without saying a word, hiding her face with her hands, as she herself was ashamed of what was happening to her. She let Gippal carry her everywhere, barely noticing they were moving.

When Gippal finally understood that Rikku wouldn't stop crying, he felt a certain angst rising inside him.

God, the way he felt seeing her like that.

Surely recently her happiness hadn't seemed very sincere, but now - now she was collapsing in front of him.

"Rikku, God, you're scarin' the hell out of me, you know..? Please tell me what's wrong." he tried to hug her again, but she didn't even notice it. She didn't even look at his face.

She just looked like she was in an alternate universe.

The morning after, Gippal entered her room, swaying a little.

Last night he had listened to her incessant monologue, tried to cheer her up and whatever else, but he himself had remained astonished seeing how useless it all had been. So in the end he had just decided to leave her alone, because maybe that was what she needed.

Now she was sleeping, her cheeks spotted with red - a clear sign that she had cried herself to sleep. He stroked delicately her head, trying not to wake her.

To be honest, he himself was rather puzzled at the whole situation. Of course he had imagined something about Rikku liking Tidus, but he would have never imagined that her feelings were so damn strong.

He hadn't slept well, and in addiction to that he had been waked by Nadala shouting out enthusiastically the news of the marriage between Tidus and Yuna around all the Djose temple.

Really the news is spreading quite fast, he thought sarcastically.

Maybe it was just him, but... he had never liked that two as a couple.
Tidus and Yuna..
So obvious.
So boring.

And seeing his friend Rikku bearing such a sorrow, really didn't make it look better.

"Gippal.." this was Rikku's voice, low and sleepy, distracting him from his thoughts.

She was quieter now, but sad.

Gippal could tell she had changed during the night. Now she looked resigned.

°°Hello. Yuna here.°° the voice of the high summoner could be heard by the both Rikku and Gippal. They were shoulder against shoulder, leaning their ears on the same receiver.

"Ehy Yuna. It's Gippal." he said with his usual tone, low and deep.

°°Gippal! It's you! Did you see Rikku!? We can't find her since yesterday! She never came back home last night..! Please, tell me she's with you!°° the load of questions literally invested them. There was sincere apprehension in Yuna's words, and that made Rikku feel guiltier than she already felt.

"Yes, yes - don't worry. She's here at the Djose Temple." he answered, patting Rikku's head.

°°Oh! So she's there! Thanks to Yevon! We were all so worried! She disappeared without saying a word! Just.. what's wrong with her?! Can I speak with her?°°

At this question Rikku became upset, shaking her head, widening her eyes, moving pointlessly her hand right before Gippal's eye.

The message was clear: no, she didn't want to talk to Yuna.

"Uhm..Er- Actually you can't. Right now she's - she's getting ready."

°°Getting ready..? For what..?°°

Rikku and Gippal stared questioningly at each other for a couple of seconds. Then Gippal spoke again.

"Well, you know. She came here because she wanted to have a trip in Bikanel with me. We have had this project for a long time, so - anyway, as I was saying, she's not here with me at the moment."

Both Rikku and Gippal were anxious to hear what Yuna was going to say now.
There was silence on the other side.

°°Mh. I see..°° she was clearly unsatisfied °°I just wanted to tell her something - nothing important but.. anyway, Bikanel? You're going to Bikanel? But why didn't she-°°

°°°Hey Yuna! Is Rikku ok? So she's with Gippal right? Right..?°°°

As soon as she heard Tidus' voice interrupting Yuna, Rikku stiffened, and leaned her ear closer – if possible - on the receiver.

Tidus...

°°Yes, she's there. So be quiet.°°

°°°Can I talk to her..?°°°

°°No, honey, I'm afraid not. Gippal told she's not with him at the moment.°°

Gippal looked at Rikku, who was just listening, lowering her gaze.

°°°But is she ok?°°°

°°I guess so, love. now just calm down ok? Gippal..? You still there?°°

"Of course! Listen Yuna, I'd say you have nothing to worry about. Rikku will be fine with me."

°°Oh, okay. then just tell her to come back home as soon as possible.°°

Gippal waited for a moment.
Then he took a deep breath, and the words slipped out of his mouth, his voice lower than before.

"So, Yuna - I heard the news."

For a few seconds there was just silence, then Yuna let out a sigh, of both surprise and awkward,

°°Aww..!°°

Gippal could imagine her, cupping her mouth with her hand, her eyes widened.

"Congratulations, Yuna. You do have my truly best whishes."

°°Thank you, Gippal.°°

"Probably you could have found someone better than that Zanarkand fellow, but - hey, it's your choice." he continued in a strange tone, half serious, half teasing.

Yuna laughed lightly and sweetly at his remark, but then changed the subject.

°°So, say hello to Rikku for me, will you?°°

°°°And for me too!°°° Tidus shouted. But his voice was really padded. Probably he was in the other side of the room.

"Of course I will. See you soon, then."

°°See you soon, Gippal.°°

The conversation stopped, and Gippal shut the phone down.

He and Rikku stared at each other, and soon after Rikku spoke, quirking her eyebrow.

"You do have a crush on her, don't you?"

He didn't even get upset. It was not typical of him doing such a thing.

"Nah." he just groaned. It was impossible to say whether he was lying or not.

. END of FLASHBACK .

In spite of everything, Rikku smiled while recalling that day. At that time, she thought that day was the worst day of her life. Then, one day after another, she had managed to pass her crisis, and got caught by the illusions another time.

Yeah, sure, it was just a month before the marriage, but nothing was settled still.

Three weeks, but nothing was sure, that's what she kept telling to herself, even when she saw them kissing in the paths of Besaid, or walking hugging each other with big smiles.

Two weeks, but it didn't matter if Yuna was already said to be pregnant.

One week, but it was only a case if Tidus ignored her systematically because of the preparation of the ceremony.

Because maybe someday...

Now this was gone.

I must stop this. I must have fun this night. Fun, but no more illusions.

Zanarkand ruins were now incredibly close.

She smiled and hurried to the bridge, to help Tidus with the landing.

[AN: Hello to you all! I was so happy with the review, I swear it, really really happy! I love you! I hope you liked this chapter please tell me.. and..

TIKKU ROCKS!

Swamp-Eyes]

[New AN: Edited on 09.2015]