Chapter Two: Echoes in the Water

She screamed so hard, she thought her lungs would give out on her. Rikku finally began to breathe hard as she closed herself in, surrounding herself with her orange blanket while tears spilled down her cheeks. The door shot open, revealing light. To Rikku, it seemed like Yevon had accepted her and opened up his heavenly light to her. But she didn't bother to look who it was until she felt warm gentle arms around her as someone else carried a flashlight in hand in the background.

"Rikku, breathe! It's okay! Everything's alright!" said Yuna, still holding her.

Gippal placed the flashlight aside and sat on a chair near the bed. "Damn. you woke me up."

Yuna glared at him. "Gippal. don't make things worse than it is."

Rikku tossed herself at Yuna, gripping onto her like she was about to die.

"It was Seymour, Yunie!! It was Seymour! He's coming back for me! For us!" she sniffled and backed away, slumping against the cold wall.

That made Yuna silent. Gippal kept watch on Rikku as her tears dropped against her bed.

"It was either that snack cake you ate, or it was LeBlanc fantasizing over Nooj again when she came by last night."

"Gippal!" both girls whined.

Yuna sighed then stood up, heading for the door. "I'll be right back. I'm gonna go get some sleep medicine."

Rikku huffed and plopped her head on her feather pillows. "That medicine is nasty."

"Hey, Rikku?"

She looked up and saw Gippal reaching for the flashlight on her desk. "What?"

"Why were you laughing back there?"

"Back where?" she sat up.

"When we were acting like Nooj and LeBlanc."

Rikku scratched her cheek with a finger then shrugged. "I dunno. It just happened. But if there was something funny. then I can't remember it."

Gippal nodded then shined the flashlight on Rikku, blinding her. Her hands shot up and smacked the flashlight downward.

"Gawd, if you want to turn on a light you can. Don't blind me!"

Gippal laughed quietly and reached over for the switch to Rikku's lamp light. As the lamp had brightened the room dimly, Gippal turned back to Rikku.

"Is that better your highness?"

"Gippal! Shut up."

He laughed louder this time while Rikku yawned. Gippal stopped and leaned forward.

"So what'd you dream about?"

"The stupidest guy I've ever met."

"And who's that?" asked Gippal with a sly grin.

"You." Rikku's eyes narrowed.

Gippal gave a laugh again and smiled. "Aw, c'mon, Rikku. Be serious!"

Rikku sat up a little more and crossed her arms to look more serious. She hoped Gippal wouldn't say anything to ruin what she was going to explain.

"Remember that one Guado guy that proposed to Yunie two years ago?"

"Yeah?"

"Well...."

She was quiet for a short period of time. At that point, she didn't know how to put it. Also, knowing Gippal, he would make a big deal out of it. Rikku snatched up one of her orange pillows and threw it in Gippal's face. She quickly stood up then started heading out the door. Gippal tossed the pillow behind him. Watching Rikku go out the door, he stood up quickly, wondering where she was going.

"I was listening you know!" he called.

"Yeah I know! But you won't take it seriously!" she called back.

"Wha?" He walked out of the room and saw Rikku out of the hallway. He couldn't see why Rikku didn't believe he would take it seriously. He has been always welcoming Rikku's thoughts. Is it because he would always give his opinion?

"Ah, whatever." (It's probably PMS.)

With that thought, Gippal eluded the room quick enough before anyone could see him.

~*~

Rikku, Brother, Yuna, Paine, Gippal, and Buddy stood or sat on the bridge of the Celsius. Awaiting the new mission from Buddy, they all were engaged in conversation. Finally, Buddy snatched up some papers from his side of the controls and waved it in the air.

"Sorry Gullwings. No mission today."

Rikku, Yuna, and Paine sighed. Gippal and Brother cheered. Rikku quickly turned to them and glared evilly. She walked over angrily and kicked her brother in the shin.

"Ouu! Ouch! What was that for!?" cried Brother hopping up and down on one foot.

Rikku lifted her foot a little off of the ground, threatening Gippal. He quickly stepped away, waving his hands as sign of surrender.

"Just because. I owed you one anyway." Said Rikku smiling.

As she walked away, Gippal turned and laughed at Brother who had finally given up and fell to the metal flooring. Buddy cleared his throat to get everyone's attention again.

"But! Rin wanted us to go to Macalania to see the new fountain they built there. He said the 'Lady of Honor' should be there." He said, going through the papers.

Yunie flushed as Rikku went over, hopping around excitedly. "Yunie! You're the Lady of Honor he's talking about! I bet you get to cut a ribbon too!"

"Oh gee. Rin has done so much for us. he shouldn't.." Yuna placed her hands on her cheeks.

Gippal shrugged. "Celebrities. and to think I thought they would go for anything."

"You know you want that ribbon, Yuna." Said Paine, nudging her elbow into Yuna's arm. "C'mon. We could use a break."

Yuna's eyes looked around the room, seeing faces of eagerness on each of them. Finally, she hopped up, raising a fist high into the air with a bright smile.

"Alright then, Gullwings! Let's go to Macalania Fountain!"

~*~

The glades of Macalania Lake were sparkling like stars on the night sky. The wind was icy cold which added more effect to the atmosphere. Rikku looked around, surprised yet fascinated by the beauty of what used to be a great battleground against Yuna's guardians and her against some guados that sided with one of the masters two years ago.

"What?! I have to sing!? I-I didn't know about that!"

Rikku's attention turned to Yuna who was talking with Rin, Buddy, and Brother about the performance and grand demonstration of the new fountain.

"I'm terribly sorry, Miss Yuna. But they all wanted you to sing. I charged extra and---"

Buddy quickly stopped Rin from speaking and held his hand out.

"If you're gonna make Yuna sing then you're gonna have to pay."

Yuna pulled Buddy aside. "Buddy, he's helped us out a lot. Even when I was a summoner he did. So I think we owe him more than he does us."

Rin had no expression to Yuna's demand. Buddy sighed and crossed his arms. "Alright.. It's for free."

"Great!" said Rin happily. "Now get up on stage! Everyone's waiting for you!"

~*~

After watching Yuna's grand performance, Rikku decided to escape the festivities and head out to the forest's lake that was just up the hill. She knew it wasn't like her to escape a great chance to hang around and play around with people, but she just didn't feel like it.
She felt the cold water rising up to her hips as she stroked it gently, sending tiny waves over to the crystal tree in the middle of the lake.

(This is where spheres are made.)

Rikku remembered who said that. A dark mysterious man who traveled along with her cousin and her during Yuna's pilgrimage to defeat the one known as Sin. Auron, was the warrior's name. A traveler of the spirits. (He said being dead had an advantage) Thought Rikku. But even though Auron had told 'the new guy' about what he meant, Rikku had never gotten the chance to ask him what he meant.
A quick flash of the memory when Tidus and Auron were fading away came through her mind. Tidus wrapping his arms around Yuna. Auron closing his eyes and fading along with the Aeons, celebrating their freedom from their deep sleep. The pyreflies swarming everything. I could feel them. They weren't warm and fuzzy like memories. They were cold and swift. But gentle and beautiful at the same time.
Suddenly, Rikku lifted her fist into the air and smacked it straight into the water angrily. A splashing sound echoed through the woods as a small miniature tidal wave of water smacked against the tree's covering. She still couldn't accept the fact that Tidus had left. It wasn't like she liked him in that way. She missed talking with him about finding ways to save Yuna. Or telling him facts about the Al Bhed and Spira. Or how he helped Wakka's anger against the Al Bhed. Tidus was a great help was the point Rikku was trying to get at. But she felt Yuna had taken the greater impact. When the rest of them, being Lulu, her, Yuna, Wakka, and Kimahri, left to back to Besaid, they threw a big party. And Yuna was even in front of a whole Spira wide audience. All ethic races. Guado, Al Bhed, Yevonites, Crusaders, everyone was there. Every night after all that, Rikku would sneak into her house to congratulate her but instead find her weeping on her pillows like the entire world had died because of her. Even in her sleep, she would cry and say things like: "Come back to me." Or "I love you. Don't you love me?" or even "It's my entire fault you vanished.".
Rikku had finally gotten out of the water and headed over to the new fountain. She knew it was too early for everyone to see the fountain so she decided to go there. It would be quiet. Quiet enough for Rikku to consume her thoughts and get rid of them in that invisible dumpster in the back of her mind.
When she arrived, Rikku sat herself down on the side. She turned back around and saw the fountain spouting up clear glittering water that reminded her of fresh pyreflies from the Moonflow. There was a statue also. It surprised her that it wasn't Yuna. It was Macalania Temple's Aeon, Shiva. With her gorgeous locks and slender body that any girl would want, she seemed perfect for the fountain. With the nice glass frame that she sat on and the glass glowing platform Shiva stood on, the water flew up around her like she was summoning the waves.

"Heey, you're cheating!"

Rikku perked up and turned. She saw Gippal heading towards her with his regular cocky smirk. She twisted herself back around forward and watched him carefully as he took a seat next to her on the glass fountain edge.

"Whadda you mean I'm cheating?"

Gippal's smirk turned into a simple smile. "You got here before anyone else."

Rikku placed her fists at her hips and returned his smirk. "And what about you? What are you doing here?"

"Brother told me to go find you."

She gasped in disbelief. "What? What for?"

"He said; 'Ku muug vun dra ennicbuhcepma pned'."

"He said that huh? Well, he better be expecting the beating of his life when I get back!"

Rikku huffed while Gippal stretched his arms back. "I thought it was the truth."

The blonde Al Bhed girl swiftly turned to Gippal who was now snickering with a devious smile.

"You think I'm an irresponsible brat!? You meanie!"

Rikku's hands shot out and pushed Gippal down to the fountain's water. For a moment, she couldn't see Gippal clearly when the water splashed up. When it cleared, she could only see him swimming upwards. Rikku gasped with fear in her heart and bent down to reach for him.

"Gippal?! Gippal?! This is so not funny! Stop playing around!" she paused and swallowed hard. "Unless you're drowning....."

Finally, his spiky blonde hair popped up out of the water also along with only his eye, his black patch, and part of his nose, staring coldly at Rikku as she clasped her hands over her mouth.

"I. Am. SO sorry!"

His eyebrow rose as the other stayed narrowed.

"Gippal?"

Bubbles came from where his mouth was supposed to be if he came up.

"Gippal? Are you cursing?"

Then his arm and hand shot out. Rikku panicked and scream while his strong hand grabbed a hold of her left arm then dragged her into the fountain water where he was. She swam upwards and grabbed Gippal's leg and yanked on it hard enough for him to gasp for air and plunge down under her.

"Hah! Yes! I got you down! I won! I won!"

"No, you don't!"

Rikku gasped and turned. There was Gippal with the devious smile again as he leaped at her shoulders, pushing her down. She grabbed a hold of his wrists and started trying to push back. But just to her luck, she wasn't strong enough. Rikku managed to get some air and gave up to go down into the water again. As she tried to swim back up she heard a faint electrifying sound below her. Rikku turned her head back down to see then screamed under water. There was an electricity fish swimming right on the fountain's floor. Quickly, she shot her hands up and grabbed Gippal's shoulders. He noticed her frightened look and held her wrists.

"What's wrong?" his look changed to sarcastic. "Lost your breath?"

Rikku kept gasping for air. "We'll take our last breath if you don't get us out of this fountain!!"

"Why?" he then had a curious look.

Rikku pointed down, watching the electric fish float up to their level. It stared at them evilly as it swam slowly closer.

"AHH! Gippal!! It's gonna shock me!!"

Rikku moved herself closer to Gippal as he dug around his pockets for a weapon. When he found out they were empty, he swallowed hard and started swimming away from it.

"We're in deep shit, Rikku."

Rikku turned to him and shook him by his shoulders hard. "WHAT!?" she turned back to the fish who was now just inches away from her. "You expect me to slap the hell out of him!!?"

"Be my guest!" he shouted.

Rikku gave him a vague look until she heard a noise like something had dived down back into the water. They both looked to where the fish was and saw it had disappeared. Then they found themselves nervously laughing.

"Heh. heh that was close huh?" asked Rikku, cracking a smile.

Gippal's snickers turned into sighs of relief. "Yeah." He then stopped and looked downward. Rikku was in a position so close to him, someone would figure they were trying to "pull something off" in the fountain's water. He arched an eyebrow and smiled slyly. "You know, Rikku.."

"What?"

"This position----" he paused and looked down again. Rikku watched him carefully until he gave a shout. She moved backwards as he moved his hands to his right leg under the water. As she watched the fish disappear farther underneath the water, Gippal gritted his teeth irritatedly.

"You mother fucker! I'm gonna get you and gut you so fast you won't know what's happenin'!!"

Rikku gasped and got herself out of the water and onto the glass side where they sat before. Gippal stayed afloat in the water, still holding his leg. She slid over and wrapped her arms underneath his available arm left.

"Lemme help you out." She said.

She lifted him up with the help of Gippal himself too. When he was back on the glass edge, Rikku's eyes widened. The whole right side of his pants was sodden in red from a large wound. It wasn't like a shark bite or anything. It actually looked more like a scratch from a big bear.

"Gippal..."

He rolled up his pants' leg then looked at the water below them. He arched an eyebrow curiously.

"Is that water holy or something?"

Rikku shrugged. "Dunno. Why?"

"It's not red."

The Al Bhed girl looked down at the water and noticed it was still shining with its clear water. It was almost like looking through a clean crystal. She then looked up at the statue of Shiva who had held out her hands like a cup. Curiously, Rikku stood up, still shivering, and looked inside her palms. Inside was a puddle of crystal water with a drop of red, dropping down in a perfect swirl like food coloring. Rikku sat back down and slid off her scarf.

"I think it is holy." Rikku pushed Gippal's hand away and started wrapping her scarf around his wound. "Shiva's holding some water in her hands. And there's a drop of blood in it."

Gippal arched an eyebrow then flinched when Rikku tied a tightened knot with her scarf on his wound.

"I guess." He responded.

~Wasn't that grand!? If you thought I was gonna make them kiss or whatever THIS early, you must be crazy! Well, I like crazy people so on the next chapter, I promise something big is gonna happen! Reviews WOULD be nice you know... (