Rikku made a visit to the breakfast bar in Bikanel to meet up with Paine for a morning brunch. As she glanced around the bar, looking for her friend, she noticed the large plate, sitting on a table with fruits and vegetables placed on it, in which Paine was seated next to. Rikku grinned, making her way quietly over to the table to surprise Paine, although she was well aware that surprises annoyed her.

"Paine!"

She said, hugging her from behind in excitment, then seating herself in the booth across from hers.

"Same old Rikku, huh."

Paine shook her head sarcastically, almost amused by her approach.

"Maybe, but i think meeting old friends just brings back old attitudes."

Paine gave her a look of curiousity,

"Oh really, so you're saying you've changed?"

"Not exactly, I'm just saying sooner or later, with new experiences..old habits will die hard!"

She nodded, agreeing with Rikku's statement,

"I get it, kind of like what happened with Yuna, right?"

Rikku responded,

"..Something like that."

Paine crossed her arms, leaning them against the table while tilting her head to one side,

"So tell me, what's been making your old habits die hard Rikku?"

Rikku smirked, finding her question laughable,

"I dunno!"

As she continued,

"Speaking of Yunie though, has she told you about what's been going on with her lately?"

Paine's eyebrows raised with interest,

"Fill me in?"

"Okay! But you'll be a little surprised. She came to Bikanel the other night and went to my place..her eyes were really red, like she'd been crying, and when I asked her what was wrong, all she said was that her and Tidus got into a huge fight, because of her being jealous of something he said, which made Yuna raise a question..then i guess things escalated from there. That's all she told me, at least."

Paine sighed,

"Like the usual, life has it's ways of throwing surprises at us.."

Rikku's eyes were focused on the windowpane beside them,

"Yeah..but what I want to know is, since when do those two ever fight. I mean, what could they possibly ever fight about..that would question their relationship?"

Paine stared at the ceiling in thought,

"Well, since you know them both. Talk to Yuna privately about it when you get the chance, maybe."

Rikku placed a finger on her cheek,

"Good thinking Dr. P, that's a start..but it won't be that easy, you know how inside Yunie can be with her feelings, so I have to get it out of her."

Paine nodded,

"Just make sure you do what's necessary."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''

Rikku was in the locker room, changing into her blitz unirform which was a tight fitting one-piece attire, with diamonds for buttons, an opening down the middle revealing most of her torso, a bandana and matching boots with the Psyches coordinating colors of red, gray and brown. Just when she was about to be the last one out of the room to make it to practice, Gippal leaned up against the door, delaying her leave,

"Why are you always the last one out, taking your sweet time, is it?"

He pretended to be serious, questioning her in a serene tone. Rikku rolled her eyes, releasing a quiet breath,

"Ahh ha ha, are you really trying this with me Gippal. Just because you're team captain doesn't mean you'll ever be in charge of me!"

He laughed,

"I guess that's true."

"Okay, that's settled..now let me get by?"

Gippal looked away from her for a moment,

"There's no rush..besides, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Rikku grew anxious, waiting for what he might say next,

"Let me take you somewhere nice after practice."

Her voice cracked, though he didn't seem to notice,

"Um..for what, what's going on?"

"A date silly, we haven't been on one of those in a long time..what do you say?"

Before she could answer, his question brought back the feelings of that dream from last night, which ultimately became the culprit of her sudden blushing in the face, Gippal smiled unexpetedly,

"Eh..you're blushing."

But this was too much, the fact that he failed to realize something important..made her all the more irritated with him,

"Gippal, you don't remember that time..five years back when we met up in Djose?"

"Yeah, but you know how busy we both were."

"Ugh, come on Gipp..that's no excuse, we could've made time. You had the chance to have me again..but you never tried, instead you were all wrapped up in your big ego..thinking you can have me whenever you like."

He looked at her in confusion, shocked by her outburst,

"Why are you acting like this?"

She stared down at the floor below, hiding the formation of tears in her eyes until they finally dried up, with her words to a whisper,

"Because..you don't know how it feels to be ignored by someone you once cared about."

Gippal's eyes narrowed down at her,

"Wait a minute, after all this time.. and you didn't bother telling me you felt this way back then?"

She shrugged her shoulders carelessly, as she looked up into his sea green eyes, her eyes as clear as day now,

"..You're now bringing it up, and back then it didn't seem you cared so i thought, what would be the point in telling him, plus your back was always turned. If you would have noticed me more often, maybe you would've seen it."

"Rikku.."

She gasped at the calling of her name, resting a hand on one hip,

"Rikku, Rikku is all you ever say. It's getting pretty old you know, now please move."

She waited impatiently for him to move away from door, though he showed no resistence..he still fought the urge to grab her by the arm and pull her close to him. Although he succeeded, he regretted the act of fighting it.