A/N: well its been a long time coming but its finally here. the next chapter. Sorry for the delay, ive been swomped with University assignments and works and all other manner of stupid things. Anywa PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Read and Even more pretty please, REVIEW!!
Disclaimer: Im only goingt o say it this last time, I dont on FF in any way shape or form. I thin if you dont know that by now, then your just not reading them anyway :)
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As they walked in silence, there was an unspoken understanding of their purpose. What lay ahead of them wasn't going to easy. Even with Nooj's help, to go up against not only the most powerful woman in Bevelle, but most probably all of Spira, was not going to be a walk in the park. On her own, Shelinda was hardly a formidable opponent, but she wasn't alone. She had control of all of Bevelle. All its army. It's Preator
After a full days walking they reached the travel agency on the Mi'hien Highroad. They hadn't had too much trouble with fiends, and since Gippal hadn't had a decent battle in months, it was good practice.
They rested for the night at the inn. That night as they sat and ate dinner Gippal spoke.
"I think that tomorrow we should take the hover to Luca. We need to speed this up. Baralai could be in danger." He said as he stuffed a forkful of salad into his mouth.
"I agree. Then take the first ship from Luca to Besaid. We should be in Besaid in a few days. How much Gil do you have?" She asked, mopping up some sort of sauce with a chunk of bread.
"Enough..." He replied with a downcast look. Vira gave him a confused glance. So he continued. "Rikku left me everything she had. She may have looked like a ditsy little girl, but she was well prepared. She knew the life she lived was dangerous, so she had a will written up. She left me everything." He took a sip from his wine, his ninth glass to be exact. Vira figured it was why he suddenly felt a lot more talkative. "She didn't have a lot of stuff," he continued, "but what she did give me I have put into storage in Besaid. As much as I wanted it near me, I knew that all the people who truly loved her and believed in her were all at Besaid. Lu, Waks, little Vedina... and you. So I left it there." He looked up at her over the brim of his now empty glass and placed it back on the table. He gave her a look that she couldn't read, then he stood up and wobbled a bit. "I think.." he said with a bit of a slur, 'that I should go to bed.'
Vira stood up and steadied him with an arm around his waist. She got him to his door and was about to say goodnight, when he turned around and looked at her with that same look he had before. "Stay with me. Just for a bit Vira..."
"But we have a huge day tomorrow. We both need rest, and you need to get over the wine." She replied as she took the key that he had tried about 5 times to put in the keyhole. She unlocked the door and he wobbled over to the bed and sat down. She watched from the doorway as he struggled to take his boots off. At this rate, it was going to take him all night just to get undressed.
Vira sighed, and walked over to the bed. She knelt down in front of him and started to untie his boots. She slipped them off and placed them together beside his bed.
"While you're down there..." Gippal teased her with a sly grin.
There was only a couple of times in her life that Vira had been caught off guard, but this was one of those times. With an embarrassed look, she glanced up at him from her kneeling position at his feet to see him lay backwards. She stood up and looked down at him.
"Gippal..." She started, only to realize that he had already fallen asleep. She sighed and proceeded to undress the now practically unconscious man. She straddled him so she could take off his shirt easier. As she pulled it over his head she once again noticed the scars on his chest. His life had not been an easy one and his fight against Vegnagun had left a few scars of its own. They were newer looking, more pinkish than the others. She traced one with her finger that went from the middle of his chest over to just below the left nipple. As if his heart had been removed and all that was left was the scar. Vira could only imagine the pain he had felt when he had learnt of Rikku's death, for she had never been in love, and didn't ever plan on it. She whispered to herself "I wonder is it was Rikku..."
Slowly she unbuttoned his pants, preying that he was wearing something underneath them. She was in luck. A small pair of black boxers covered his manhood and for some strange reason as she pulled the pants over his feet, she had the urge to take the boxers off as well. But suddenly she thought of Rikku and how she would feel if she knew. So instead, Vira just pulled his legs up onto the bed and covered him with the blanket and walked silently from his room to her own and went to bed herself.
Vira was awoken from a rather improper dream about Gippal by a tentative knock on her door. Slowly sitting up and groggily rubbing her eyes, she answered the knock.
"Come in..." She called in a raspy morning voice. Gippal slowly opened the door and the light flooded in, causing Vira to wince and shield her eyes.
"Morning.." he ventured further into the room and shut the door.
"Is it?" Vira replied sarcastically as she took her hand away from her eyes to see Gippal sit in a chair that was at the dresser in her small rented room at the inn. "Make yourself at home..." She rolled her eyes and threw the blankets off. She stood up and stretched. She was wearing and old pair of shorts (more like hot pants) and a crop top and her hair hung down past her shoulders is a morning-mess. Completely oblivious to Gippal's stare she walked over to the doorframe that was between her room and the en- suite, she reached up and did ten chin-ups without effort. The muscles in her belly tightened with each rise of her body and for the first time she noticed Gippal's chin practically on the floor. She knew she had a marvellous body, but never one to admit it herself, blushed at the attention she was getting from the attractive young Machine Faction leader.
Gaining some confidence from his admiration, she dropped to the floor after the tenth chin up and looked at him. "Take a Sphere movie... it will last longer..." she teased as she reached into her pack and took out clean under garments and clothes for the day. Before he had time to answer, she was in the bathroom with the shower running... with cold water...
When she had finished her shower and dressed, she opened the door and was surprised to find Gippal still sitting there.
"I did come here for a reason, ya know... Not just to wake you up."
"And what might that be?" Vira replied as she strapped on her armour and sword. "To perv on me?"
Gippal went slightly crimson and answered, "No more than you were perving on me last night, Vira... The answer to you question: yes it was Rikku."
"You were awake?" Vira suddenly stopped what she was doing and looked at Gippal.
"We were training one day and she got a little... carried away..." He put his hand to where the scar was and smiled mischievously. "And yes... I was awake."
There was a prolonged silence between than as both recapped what had happened the night before. It was Gippal who spoke first.
"Thank you."
"For what?" Vira replied as she pretended to be engrossed in packing her things.
"For looking after me. No one has done something like that since... Well, since Rikku. It means a lot to me." He walked to the door and opened it. "Ill be waiting in the shop." And with that he left the room without waiting for a reply.
"Any time..." Vira answered, but he wouldn't have heard.
When she joined him in the shop he looked much happier.
"The hover driver says he can take us to Luca as soon as we are ready." He smiled at her as she nodded and they both made for the door.
The trip to Luca was completely uneventful. Once Vira had looked at Gippal only to find him looking back at her. Why did she feel like she was betraying Baralai with every urge she had towards Gippal?
Being a Samurai and walking freely among the populace was not something that was taken lightly and although Luca was relatively neutral, there were still followers of Yevon that eyed her with pure hatred. While some Al Bhed smiled and waved as their leader passed and some even greeted Vira with respect and bowed in awe as the warrior samurai passed with her head held high.
"See?" Gippal said as they reached the docks and the ship master for the ship to Besaid bowed deeply to both of the travellers. "Some people aren't taken by Baralai's foolishness, and still recognise the honour and power of a true Samurai." He continued as he handed some gil to the ship master.
"I do more than recognise Samurai, sir. I am Samurai." The man replied. At this Vira looked up and instantly recognised the man standing before her.
"Wedge! Damn it, you're alive!" She almost yelled as she bowled into the man with a hug. "I thought you had died when..." She stood back to look at the man. He had aged terribly since the last time she saw him. That was only about 6 months ago. He had a beard now and a few scars that had not been there before.
"When Baralai ordered an attack on Kilika?" He spat. "No, not everyone did, though none of us walk as proudly as you do anymore. You never were afraid of anything were you?"
"I was afraid that all the samurai were gone. But I will never be afraid of who I am." She gave Wedge a slightly disappointed look.
"You have to understand Vira, we all have families. We live a secluded life here in Luca, making a modest living. Hoping that one day we will be able to walk as you do..."
"Oh, Wedge, I didn't mean it like that! I.." She couldn't think of anything to say so she just hugged him again, and he returned the hug. When they pulled apart, Wedge handed the gil back to Gippal.
"This ones on me." He smiled motioned for them to go aboard.
"Thanks!" Gippal chirped and walked onboard and below deck. Vira bowed low and followed him.
Down in the saloon, Wedge rejoined them a few minutes later.
"We're leaving in a few minutes. There are two decent cabins down the bow of the boat, numbers 6 and 7, you guys can have. It will take a couple of days to get to Besaid." He said as he walked towards the wheelhouse.
"Thanks, hey?" Gippal called.
"Don't mention it!" Wedge replied without turning around and went through a door and closed it.
Vira picked up her belongings and went to find her cabin. Gippal ordered a drink.
That night after dinner Vira couldn't find Gippal and it was reasonabley late so she figured he had gone to bed. She went to her room, got her sword and walked up onto the deck of the ship. There was no one on the deck as the night air was slightly chilly and there was a small breeze. The boat rocked slowly on its anchorage. Vira took off her jacket and wore only her armour pants and a tight singlet. (which was one of Gippal's shirts, only with the sleeves cut off.) She took the sword out its cover and steadied herself.
Taking a deep breath of the salty ocean air, she began practicing. As she brought the sword around in perfect formation, it flashed in the moonlight. She had been going for about 10 minutes and was completely relaxed and focused, doing the moves over and over, when, mid swing, she was greeted with another sword clashing against her own.
Suddenly drawn out of her trance she looked at the person holding the other sword.
"Gippal? Where did you get... ? Where have you been?" She started, never taking her eyes from his and never moving her sword from its position against his.
Without speaking Gippal moved to attack her and she fended it off easily. "I have been talking to Wedge. Telling him what is going on." He attacked again and again was held back by Vira's superior sword skills. "He said that if we need his help all we have to do is ask. And there are others too, and he can rally them if we need it. I told him how Rikku had taught me to fight with the Samurai but that I hadn't practiced for months. He told me that even though he doesnt openly admit to being Samurai, he still carries his sword everywhere he goes. He lent it to me so I could have a practice..." Another attack, this time Vira started it and Gippal expertly sidestepped it.
"How long have u been up here?" Vira asked, lowering her sword.
"About 10 minutes." He grinned.
"You've been watching me the whole time?" Vira asked with a hint of embarrassment.
"Yeah... Your pretty damn good though. I'm not sure I wanna play with you..." He grinned back and lowered his own sword.
"Too late for that, you said you wanted to cross blades one day..." And with that she launched into a full on attack. Gippal leapt to attention and fended her off as best he could. A few times he knew Vira could have taken his head off, but thankfully she was skilled enough to refrain. Suddenly, they were just inches apart in a draw, blades pressed against each other and both heavily breathing.
"Not too shabby.." Vira breathed.
"Thanks..." Gippal replied and leaned slightly forward, moving his feet half a step forward as well, placing the two with but a breath of air between them. Without closing his eyes, he leaned forward and slowly closed the gap between their faces. He kissed Vira roughly on the lips. Never taking his gaze from her open eyes, he broke the kiss, drew his head back and cocked it to the side slightly as if trying to read Vira's response. Slowly moving his sword down to his side and letting it fall, he took hold of Vira's hand and made it do the same. As her sword hit the deck, he grabbed her roughly around the waist and dived in to kiss her again, this time with more passion.
This kiss was nothing like the one she had had with Baralai. It was much more intense, much more fierce and wanting. Baralai's was a sad and depressing. But this kiss was different. Taken in the moment, she kissed him back fiercely and shivered as she felt a cold hand move up under her shirt and onto the small of her back. He pulled her closer and put his other hand up to her neck. As the kiss deepened she felt Gippal pull her waist towards him he moaned slightly at their intense contact. She could feel that he was excited and smiled at the pleasure she seemed to be causing him. Suddenly Rikku's face appeared in her mind and the guilt of what she was doing rushed into her, drowning the pleasure out. She pushed Gippal away and looked out onto the dark horizon.
"Gippal, we can't... What about... What about Rikku...?" She brought her gaze back to Gippal, only to find him with a warm smile on his face. "What?" She asked.
"Do you really think she would mind?" He asked. "She worshiped you. She's been gone a long time, Vira. She knows I love her, and always will. But that doesn't mean I don't get physical urges. You are so damn hot, Vira. And your so powerful its scary... it makes me just wanna do you, right here right now.." He grabbed her again and kissed her with passion anew. She let him for a few seconds but then pushed him away again.
"What about Baralai?" She asked.
"What about him? Look Vira, this isn't love. Whatever you have with him, that's fine. But how long has it been for you?" He asked taking hold of her around the waist and pulling his pelvis into hers.
"Its been too long Gip, but.. I just don't... I mean..." She couldn't look him in the eyes.
"Look," He continued, "I don't wanna force this. You need to want it, otherwise you'll regret it. I'll be in my cabin. If you want to continue this, you know where I am. But if you do decide to come, don't be too late because I don't take well to being woken up..." He smiled and kissed her roughly again. He bent down and picked up the sword Wedge had lent him and made for the hatch to go below deck. Without turning around he disappeared below.
She stood alone on the cold wooden planks of the deck and looked out over the calm black sea as if searching for an answer for her inner turmoil. Every time she felt something for Gippal, she felt guilty about it because of Baralai and Rikku, but why? Wasn't this her time? Wasn't this her story? She remembered something Yuna had told her. Yuna had said that one day Tidus had said something so profound it has scared her.
"This is my story. It will go the way I want it to, or it will end here..." she whispered into the breeze. She was so attracted to Gippal physically that it hurt and he was a great guy, but what about Baralai? And what about Rikku... Was what Gippal said really true?? She picked up her sword and sheathed it. Taking one last look from one side of the horizon to the other, she walked to the hatch and disappeared down the way Baralai had gone. On her way to the cabins, she passed the ship's bar and ordered a shot of the strongest alcohol they had. She downed it quickly and pulled a sour face. It really as strong! She then paid for her drink and walked to the cabins at the bow of the ship. There were two doors. The one on the left was Gippal's. The one on the right, her own. She stood silently and eyed both doors in thought.
Taking a deep breath, she reached for the handle of one of the doors and turned it. She opened the door and closed it quietly behind her.........
