A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed. You must be getting more into my fic... because I'm getting more reviews. We're in for another exciting chapter! Yayness... But I just woke up so I don't know how well my ideas will pour out of my head and through my fingers. x-x I'll attempt to fix all my grammatical mistakes and spell errors, but do not hate me if I miss some. =(

JesiLee: Why did Gippal decide the name Tagnath? I dunno really... It was original. That's how Gippal is... and that's how I wanted it. =P

Emerald On Emerald

Chapter 8 - "My Decision"

It had been three days since Rikku left Djose temple for Besaid. And everyday got gloomier and gloomier. I was as clear as a crystal, I was absolutely miserable. Though I still didn't want to admit it. But even Jona saw it; because yesterday she walked right up to me and told me I needed a vacation. When I laughed in her face about it she told me she could take over for awhile.

Well... I DO have some good news. The ancient machina... or PARI- OT as we started to call it here has undergone a series of MASSIVE testing. My best men are studying it now. It really is an amazing machina.

The first day Rikku was gone, guess who shows up? Ding ding! That scum Zenira. If there weren't other people around I would have ripped him limb from limb. Like I said, I wanted to see the guy suffer, there's nothing ground with that, right? But I signed the damn letter for him, just to get him out of my face. Just as I started to turn away he had the audacity to ask me where Rikku was!

I had just shrugged and told him she left in the middle of the night, which was kind of true because by the time she was all packed, the sun was setting. She didn't even say good-bye. But like I would tell HIM where she went. Pfft, over my dead body. That was the last think I wanted!

As he walked away I mentally shot him in the back where his heart was a million plus one times. It helped relieve my stress a little bit. But then I just shook my head and got back to work.

But... what hurt the most... is the morning after she left... I opened the door to her now empty room and out scurried a small machina with red lampshade eyes. She had left Tagnath behind. Poor... defenseless... machina, I picked it up and carried it everywhere with me for the rest of the day.

That night, I sat at the bridge, staring blankly into the water with Tagnath at my side. Then... I came up with the most ingenious plan! Why don't I just... tell her I was sorry? Oh! But I wouldn't just do that! I would do SOO much more than that! I would ask he to be my wife...

But... where would I start? I ran to Jona's room and knocked on the door. Once... twice... three times, okay I was all together pounding on her door. She opened it, yawning. "What is it Gippal?" Came her tired voice. I think I woke her up...

She was wearing a silky white night dress. I started at her for a moment, and then mentally slapped myself. "I think I will be going on the vacation after all." I said quickly and quietly. "I will be leaving tonight." I told her.

"I knew... you would." She replied with a stretch and a yawn. "I'll take care of things... you go do what you have too."

I nod and she shut the door... in my face. I was of course holding Tagnath. That's all I really needed. I got into my small, two-person airship and started off in the opposite direction of Besaid. I wasn't going to Besaid anyways. I was going to Bevelle to meet with my two best friends.

Paine... and Baralai. They were a couple now, though sometimes Baralai didn't know what Paine was thinking. But when he asked her to live with him in Bevelle, it shocked us all when she said yes. And that was the day that the Gullwings were officially over.

I parked my airship right outside of Bevelle and started to run for the entrance when a guard decided to stopped me. "Who goes there?" He asked hastily. I smirked when he realized who it was. "Oh, Gippal... go straight ahead. I'll have someone inform Baralai that you are here."

I nod. "And make sure Paine's with him."

The guard nodded to me and then continued his watch. I chuckled thinking these Yevonites never sleep. Bevelle was like one gigantic... sleepless city.

Anyways... I made my way to the front entrance and opened the large doors. One of the nuns came running up to me. "Sir Gippal?" She inquired. I only nod in response, this people spooked me out. "Follow me! The Praetor is awaiting you!"

"Mmmhhmmm." I replied, walking behind her. All the other nuns and priests stared at me as I walked by and it made me feel so nervous. I felt my muscles tense. Why were all the men bald? Grow some hair! Be normal... Ugh... there were the doors to Baralai and Paine. "Finally..." Escaped my lips.

The nun had already taken her position next to the two large green doors when they opened for me. I walked in and yawned, stretching. How come I had a feeling I wasn't going to get any sleep? I turned, only to be staring down at a baldhead. I backed up, slightly surprised. All these priests were also a lot shorter than me.

"Just go up the pulley." He said to me, his hands politely in front of him. "There Baralai and Paine await you." Was it just me... or were these people getting creepier and creepier. Oh well, the sooner I can get this done the sooner I can make my way the Besaid. Right? Right!

I walked up to the pulley and held onto the two sides as it took me up to the top level of this large, ex-temple. Baralai stood up and smiled. "Gippal..." He smiled. Paine just remained in her seat, saying nothing. "We were told you wanted to speak with us?"

"Yeah... well..." I rubbed the back of my head, looked at the priests on either side of me. Baralai ordered them away and I thanked him greatly for that... in my head. I looked at them. Well this was great; I didn't even know how to word what I wanted to say.

"Get to the point." Paine's irritated voice came from nowhere and into my thoughts.

I looked at her, slightly alarmed. "Well... you see..." I continued. She rolled her eyes. "I want to ask Rikku to marry me." I said more quietly.

Both of their eyes went huge, Paine went pale and Baralai went red. "YOU WHAT?" They said almost in unison. Er... now I felt like a complete idiot... but continued anyways. "You want to propose to her?" Baralai asked. I nod my head in reply.

"But... I don't know how. I don't know what to do or say. I've never felt like this towards anyone before." I shook my head. What else could I say... or do?

Paine sighed. "So... what you do... is get on one knee and say 'Rikku... will you marry me?" She said with big sad eyes. I knew that! That was the easy part, getting her to talk to me would be the hard part.

"Yeah... that's all worked out... but uh..." I paused. "See... we got in a fight and now she's back in Besaid living with Yuna and her boyfriend." I admitted.

Baralai stared at me, "You guys got in another fight?"

"Er... well... yeah." I gave a cheesy smile.

Paine rolled her eyes once more, "You two are hopeless... just go to her and apologize to her." Paine finished with a know-it-all look on her face.

"Then you can sweep her off her feat." Baralai added, smirking towards me.

"Well... there's the other problem, getting her to talk to me again. Proposing and all that will be a piece of cake..."

"Oh... you know Rikku." Paine started. "Just... get her something she'll like... and she'll listen" she continued. "But you might want to ask Dear Daddy's permission first... if you know what I mean?" Paine said slowly.

Hmm... why hadn't I thought of that? I scratched my chin, the old man was in Bikenal last I heard. He was trying to start a new campaign on rebuilding home again. Sure... I missed home too... but who would go back? Al- Bhed have spread all over since the day it was bombed. I wish I had been there to see it go...

"Oh... and Gippal..." Baralai started.

"Hmm?"

"What is that thing under your arm?"

I looked down to see Tagnath and smiled. "A gift..." I replied. "Alright. Thanks you guys." I waved and jumped off the side of the balcony. I landed on my two feet on the tiled ground below and started for the entrance of Bevelle. I only had two more stops to go. Bikanel... and then Luca. I had to get Rikku the best ring possible... and Luca was the place.

I hopped in my airship and took off towards Bikanel. It had to be four in the morning by the time I was there. I parked the airship right next to a larger airship that I knew was Cid's. I pounded on the airship door only to hear someone shout, "I'm comin' I'm comin'!" Yup... that was Cid.

The airship door opened and out popped the angry, tired face of Cid. "Mornin'" I said casually. "I need to talk to you... its urgent."

"Is it about the Machine Faction because-"

"Uh... no Cid, not about the Machine Faction." I started, rubbed the back of my head. Oh boy... this was not going to be easy.

Cid sighed. "Then what is it?"

"Well... you see." I started, trying my hardest to work my thoughts into words that would make sense. "I'm in love with your daughter."

Cid's eyebrows rose a mile high. "You what?" At first I thought he was going to kill me, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. Then he smiled, "Why didn't you say so in the first place, son? Come on in, we'll have alittle talk."

The talk with Cid actually went a lot better than I thought it would. I told him that I had Rikku working for me. I don't think he liked that too much. And then I told him about the fight. And I finished it off with the fact that I wanted to marry his daughter. He seemed to approve of me.

"My daughter is getting to the marriage age... and you had the balls to come to me and tell me." He paused. "But you realize... if you take my daughter's hand... you are automatically granting yourself the new leader of the Al-Bhed position, right son?"

Oh... that was a big responsibility and... I hadn't thought of that. But if that's what it takes to be with Rikku, then like hell I wouldn't. I smirked and nod, "I understand that Cid, I wont let you down."

"To tell you the truth... I was going to arrange a marriage for my daughter soon anyways, but I wasn't going to choose you." Aww... thanks Cid, that's really... touching.

I shrugged, "Whatever, I love your daughter Cid."

"So, do you have a ring?" Cid asked.

"Actually..." I started, rubbing the back of my head. "Uhm... I was going to go to Luca and buy one there after I got your permission."

Cid nod, "Good... I have the perfect wedding ring." He started. He walked over to a cookie jar and pulled out a small black box and handed it too me. "It was my wife's, before she died she gave it to me to hold on too." He paused. "I want to see it on my daughter's finger."

I opened up the box and found a huge diamond ring, "This is incredible." I began. It didn't even look like it had ever been worn! None of the paint had been darkened by skin acid. "She'd love this..." I said lightly.

Cid nod, "I know she would..."

I looked back at the old man and smiled. "Thanks... Cid." I said looking back down.

"Eh... no problem, just don't ever hurt my little girl, or I'll hurt you."

I chuckled lightly. "Understood..." I replied.

I walked outside of his grand airship only to discover two things. It was light out, meaning I probably spent three or four hours alone with Cid. And... my airship was gone. A sandstorm must have passed through while I was with Cid. "Well... isn't this magical..." I said with a sigh.

"What is it, boy?" Cid asked.

I turned to look at him. "I'm... stranded." I replied with a shrug.

"Oh... no you're not. I'll get you to Besaid." He said, grinning at me.

He started the airship and we were off. Here I come Rikku.

A/N: Okay, so... what did you think? Did you like? TELL ME! So... next chapter is where it happens, you better believe it. But what will Rikku say? What do you think she should say? =o I'm leaving it up to you guys... unless you give me like... twenty different answers. =P Well, keep R&Ring.

Riu