Here's the next chapter for you guys! And for those of you that don't know what Nataraja is, it's another name for the God/Goddess of Creation and Destruction! Oh yeah, and thanks for all the reviews you guys! I didn't think it would be THAT popular right off the bat ya' know? And sorry, Nuisance but you're not the first. but the second!! At least you're not the worst! (Get it? First is the worst, second is the best, and third is the one with the scary chest?)

Chapter Three: Project - NATARAJA

Rikku and Gippal had later joined up with the rest of the party. By the time Yuna had snipped the ribbon, it was already 11:00.
Paine turned to Gippal who was ready to head out with two of his workers.

"Where're you going?"

He felt the pain in his leg fading a bit since Rikku had tied her scarf on his leg. Gippal sighed with relief that they didn't bother asking anything.

"I have a meeting tomorrow with Baralai and Nooj. Have to make it you know."

"Alright." Paine waved them a good bye and started walking back to join Rikku and Yuna.

~*~

Rikku laid on her bed, looking up at the roof. For some reason, she was afraid to sleep. She thought because of the dream she had last night. She deepened her head into her pillow then bounced it back up softly.

"Boring." she whispered.

Her eyes wandered around the room. Then she started to think about what had happened at the fountain.. (That water WAS holy. I thought it was a little freaky at first but, it was actually cool. But I never would have thought Shiva; the ice Aeon of Macalania would have holy water. When I pushed Gippal in. we were being stupid. And when I saw that fish down there, we got awfully close.) Rikku shook her thoughts away and turned to her side.

(No bad dreams. No bad dreams. Just think about what happened today and not then.)

~*~

At 5:00 in the morning, Gippal had finally arrived at the Youth League headquarters for the big meeting. Inside the large red tent in the middle of the canyon top, Baralai and Nooj, the praetor of New Yevon and the Leader of the Youth League, had welcomed him with documents. Nooj placed a large file in Gippal's hands. The Al Bhed shot Nooj a clueless rude look.

"What's this for?" he raised the document and took a seat to the right of Baralai.

"It's on the Nataraja Project." Responded Nooj, taking his seat to the left.

Gippal arched an eyebrow. "What do we need Nataraja for? I didn't see anything big happening."

Baralai stood up and looked around the room. Besides the three leaders in the room, there were several Djose Temple recruits, New Yevon followers, and Youth League members.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but the Nataraja Project was created several years ago correct?"

Nooj looked up at him and smirked. "Five years ago to be exact."

Baralai nodded. "Yes. And now is the time to use it."

"What for?" asked Gippal again. He had no idea what was happening.

"There seems to be an abnormal force occurring among the temples again."

"But I thought the Gullwings fixed that problem."

Baralai shook his head slowly and took a seat back down in his chair. "Yes, I know. But it's not only the Aeons. It seems someone's being using them again."

Nooj pulled out another document from a shelf nearby and slammed it on the table with a determined face.

"Some think it's a past summoner. But honestly, how do you think someone could just get out of the Farplane and summon all the Aeons all over again?"

"Then maybe it's not a summoner. You know the tradition was thrown away."

Gippal kicked up his feet on the support holding underneath the table. "Then if it wasn't a summoner, how are they gonna summon them?"

"I have no idea. I'm not a summoner." Said Baralai.

Nooj looked to them both. "Suppose we find an ex-summoner..."

"Miss Yuna?" asked one of the Youth League members.

Nooj turned to his member and nodded. "It shouldn't be too hard to get a hold of her."

Gippal smirked at that thought. Suddenly, Baralai stood up from his seat again and began pacing around.

"Now, if we do find out it isn't a summoner, how would we secure all temple sections?"

Gippal raised his hand proudly. "I'll be takin' care of Djose Temple thank you very much."

Nooj nodded. "Alright. My troops will handle Kilika and Besaid."

"I have Bevelle to take care of." Responded Baralai.

"But what about the other temples sir?" asked Lucil, standing up from the Youth League side.

"True. true." Baralai's voice grew steady.

Gippal shrugged. "We got Macalania, Baaj, Reminem, and that cavern down in the gorge to handle."

"Do you suppose the Ronso of Mt. Gagazet would volunteer for Reminem?" asked Baralai. His eyes sparked.

The blonde Al Bhed nodded. "Sure. I know someone who's got connections with the elder."

Baralai placed his hands on the table. "Great. Now for Macalania and Baaj."

"Guado?" Nooj's voice was eerie. Like it seemed he hated the Guado.

Gippal huffed at the sound of the Guado's name being called. He couldn't handle them taking care of their issues.

"I guess. They could repay for what their latest Maester did."

"But what of Baaj Temple?"

"It's too far away. I think it would be better if we waited for the fiends to come upon our grounds to attack." Recommended Gippal.

"That's alright then. We'll just keep everything in this correct order. How about we take a break?"

Baralai gave a warm smile as the others headed out. Nooj and Gippal just stood up, scrambling around for maps.

"Gippal, you'll handle your troops for Djose temple and call your connector to the Ronso Elder. Nooj, you go on and organize. I have to make some messages for Bevelle."

~*~

Rikku, this time, didn't find herself against an invisible wall. She found herself standing in the middle of a large silver platform. There was another platform high above hers just ahead of where she was.

"W-Where am I?" she whispered.

Her voice echoed. As she took a turn to see what was behind her, she saw someone in the shadows in front of a larger shadow. She felt her heart beat faster, like she knew what was going to happen. Something bad. The shadow was bent over a bit like they were typing down something on a machina plate. The larger shadow stayed in place. But Rikku could feel its untraceable eyes boring straight into hers.

"Do I know you?"

Rikku walked over to the smaller shadow and tried to grab at its shoulder that she could barely see. Suddenly, the golden thread shot out from the ground she was stepping on. Rikku stumbled backwards, eyes wide open in surprise.

"Negative aral translational, active range, arsenal justification, triple A operational system."

The jointed words rang through her mind like a continuous beat. Rikku's mind cramped as she dropped down fast.

"Who are you!?" she shouted.

"Time is fast. Time is slow. This is definitely not for show. It's the truth. Clear and smooth. You cannot miss it. Catch it while you can." That familiar voice again.

"What are you talking about?" Rikku's voice weakened as another golden thread appeared. She remembered last time. When the golden thread had been cut, her life was to be doomed supposedly. She didn't want it to happen again. Rikku clasped her hands together and watched the smaller shadow turn towards her. She saw no face or any physical features except body shape. Just darkness. As the golden thread started to make its shredding sounds, Rikku closed her eyes shut tight, praying she wouldn't die.

"Go away. Go away. Go away."

Suddenly, the loudest rip echoed through the darkness. But when she felt herself untouched, she heard gun shots, and screams of someone. Then a loud thump against the metal floor. She didn't bother opening her eyes or saying anything. But she felt herself shiver with angst and fear. Rikku then heard mutters and someone sniffling then releasing tears, pounding against the floor.

"Please.... don't... cry....."

"I need you.. don't leave me okay?"

(Voices.) Rikku thought. She listened more.

"Don't cry."

"Okay?"

"Don't."

"Okay??!!"

"..."

"Please..."

Thump. Slam! More crying and sniffles from afar.

"Why? Why did you do that..?"

"Because....."

"You're alive!"

"Time is slow. Time is fast. It's not something you could cast. As the gold takes its last breath, it knows it's around the corner. Death." Said the familiar voice.

"You're crying.... stop that."

"I can't make it without you.." The person sniffled more then started to breath hard. "I have so much to tell you."

"The spiral of death. It never ends. Did you really think it could possibly end?"

"Please... stop crying..."

"Nuh uh! Please. I know you can make it!"

"Hey, Cid's girl!"

Rikku's eyes shot open. As she blinked several times, widened her eyes every time, she saw Seymour's face straight in front of her. Mocking her. Laughing at her.

"It's almost time. When all the pieces and puppets come together to play their part."

~*~

Rikku shot up from her bed, sweating and panting hard. She lifted up her hands and looked at them.

"N-No... not me. Not me." She stuttered.

Rikku got out of bed and looked at her clock. It was already 8:50. She had to get ready to meet up with the rest of the Gullwings.

~*~

"All troops! Head to Kilika and Besaid as soon as possible! Secure all area access!" commanded Nooj.

Gippal opened his eyes from his short nap and looked outside his tent from where he laid on his hammock. Youth League soldiers took vehicles and headed out the exit way with such speed. He jumped out of his hammock and walked outside, meeting up with Baralai and Nooj.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Baralai turned to him. "Oh nothing much. We're just sending out the troops to their sections. Did you call whoever yet?"

Nooj turned to Gippal. "Don't worry about it. Reminem temple is protected by that cliff for now. But Miss Yuna is coming as soon as possible for our meeting."

Gippal stretched and started back for his tent. "Well then, I'm gonna go through my documents."

"What for?" Baralai arched an eyebrow. "We organized all the paperwork together an hour ago."

"I know. But I have something I wanna take a look at."

He headed back into his tent while the others went back to the meeting room to rearrange a squad for patrol. Gippal scrambled through the files he received this morning and found nothing he could look at. As he searched more, he found a piece of paper lying underneath his hammock. He bent down and snatched it up.

"There you are. how'd you get out of my file?" he mumbled.

His green eyes skimmed through. "Nataraja. Is it possibly the same as it?"

Gippal shook his head and slipped the paper back into its file.

"Excuse me, sir."

He turned and saw a New Yevon member with a tool bag in hand. Gippal stood up straight and placed a hand on his desk.

"Hmmm?"

The soldier scratched the back of his head. "We need help fixing a machina. Do you think you have time to do it now before we have to leave?"

Gippal sighed and crossed his arms. "What type?"

"P6-Triple B."

"Ooo." Gippal arched an eyebrow. "A big one eh? I'll be there in a sec."

When the soldier walked off, Gippal walked over to his desk and pulled out a drawer from beneath it. Inside was a glowing silver sphere.

(.I should lock this up.) He thought to himself, reaching for the drawer key inside his pocket.

Gippal whipped out a gold key and inserted it inside the lock of the drawer after closing it. When a click was heard, he placed the key back into its pocket and walked out of the tent to the machina area.

"So what's wrong with the P6-Triple B? Broken limb? Outta ammo? Battery fried?"

"Oh no, sir. It's just that whenever we turn it on, the machina just starts to shock and it just dies."

Gippal took hold of a soldier's tool bag and placed it down near the machina where it lied motionless. Just as he removed a wrench from its plastic covering in the tool bag, he turned to Baralai's men.

"You guys go on and meet up with Baralai. I'll be done in about five or ten minutes."

The soldiers saluted then raced off to the main tent, leaving Gippal behind for his work. He sat down, ready to fix anything. He kicked his leg up against the back of the machina, opening up its energy pack. Smoke came floating out of it as he scooted back a little to avoid it.

"Geez, it's either this thing sucks or they've pushed it a little too far."

He reached over for some wire snips and pulled some wires from the machina with his other hand. When he was finding the right spot to cut the wires at, he heard footsteps approaching him from afar. Gippal ignored it and snipped a red wire's middle sending shock waves around the machina as it shook. His eyes looked from a yellow wire to a black wire.

"Which one.? Black maybe?"

"Yeah, it's black."

Gippal's head perked up a little then turned. Rikku sat down on her knees next to him.

"Hey there Cid's girl. Guess you got Nooj's call?"

Rikku shivered when he said 'Cid's girl'. "Yeah. Well actually, Yunie did. I woke up a little afterwards."

Gippal snipped the black wire that sent more shock waves through the machina. Another mist of smoke rose up from the opening.

"Great." He whined sarcastically.

Rikku huffed. "Oh be quiet! It's been a while since I worked on machina!"

Gippal turned to her. "Don't you have something else to do?"

"Yuna's gonna go talk to Nooj. Paine went off somewhere. It's not like I have a mission to do."

"I didn't ask what Yuna and Paine were doing." Gippal reached over for a new black wire from the tool bag.

Rikku snickered. "I think someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed!"

He sighed and connected the black wire to the last one's socket. As he slowly moved his hand away, an electrifying sound was heard. Suddenly, Rikku shot up in pain, throwing her hand up into the air then blowing onto it.

"Ouch!!" she turned to Gippal. "That thing shocked me! Don't you have the safety on it?!"

He gave her a dumbfounded look. "I would if the machina had power!"

Rikku stood up and placed her hands on her hips irritatedly. "Urrrrr.. You big meanie! You should have warned me!"

"Well I thought you would know. After all, you DO take apart machina. Or did you forget?"

"Of course not!"

"Then next time, don't put your hand so close to the ammunition button!"

"What's up your butt today?" asked Rikku.

Gippal placed the wire down and stood up to face her. "Are you PMSing? Cuz it sure seems like it."

"Gippal, shut up!"

"Oh, so you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Heh. you're acting like it again!" he smirked at her.

"Gippal! Stop being sucha.... sucha.. UH!! I can't deal with you anymore."

As Rikku began walking off, Gippal laughed proudly. "I won!"

"Urrrrr.. NO YOU DIDN'T!!" she kept walking, never turning back.

Gippal's laughter lowered to several snickers as he sat back down to tend to the machina.

"She's so funny when she's pissed."

~*~

Okay, that's the end of that chapter. The next chapter might be a little weird but romantic. Oh, and what I mean by romantic is "funny" romantic with the rest of the Gullwings solving "puzzles"!