Author's Note: It's a brand new year! ^_^ Thanks SO much for the reviews! It means a lot to me, really. I always thought my fics were never any good, but your reviews make me feel better about what I can do with my love of writing. So, thanks. ^_^ I've been brainstorming ideas for plot twists. Something to get readers at the edge of their seat, you know?

Just a quick note: Not all days of the two weeks will be three chapters long like this day. Some may be shorter or longer. By the way, the song in this chapter is Real Emotion by Jade, not Koda Kumi. Not COMPLETELY sure about the lyrics, but I think it's close enough.

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy X and X-2 don't belong to me… sadly enough. -_-;;

Love Struck

Chapter 6

End of day one

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  Gippal opened the rigid stone temple doors as we walked in. In front of us was a set of workers who were busy arguing about a new kind of machina being fixed. It didn't look too bent into shape when I saw it. Sparks were fleeting out of it in a few spots and there dark and burnt smudges on its metal surface. It looked like it going to fall into pieces any second.

I remember hazy borders of my heart
I can see a place
it's something like this
Every now and then I don't know what to do-

"What's going on?" I asked Gippal as I stood cautiously behind him. "Is there something wrong?"

He sighed and put a hand to his forehead. "Looks like it. One of our new models isn't responding the way we hoped it would."

"..And that's bad, right?"

Gippal nodded. "Well… looks like our only solution is to try and fix it up." He rubbed his hands together in eagerness. "You ready?"

I was tremendously baffled. "M-Me?"

"Yes, you." He told me slowly. "That is unless you're not up for the challenge?" Gippal taunted me.

Still I dream that I can never come back…

Ha! *Me?* Not up to the challenge? I've been all around Spira and back with machina as my priority, and he has the nerve to accuse me of not being up to the challenge? Please. I knew that beyond that good-looking face was a bit of a dense intellect.

Hold on… good-looking? I must be losing it.

I walked up to him quickly and stood p on my toes. He looked nervous as my face was inching towards his. I stopped a few mere centimeters away from his face.

"Bring it on." I whispered lowly.  Pushing him out of my way playfully, I pulled up my sleeves and walked over to the malfunctioning machina. Gippal raised an eyebrow at me then grinned that lopsided grin of his.

"Hmph… Looks like Cid's girl has a bit of spunk."

All the things I've seen
In those hazy dreams
Can't compare to what I see tonight
Everything's so different that it brings me to my knees…

     I fixed about four wrecked machina in a row, including the one I was examining earlier and I was still full of 'spunk.' Gippal was just standing to the side observing what I was doing. Every now and then he nodded his head and stroking his chin thoughtfully. I wiped sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand.

"Are you just going to stand there all day?" I yelled in his direction. I would have picked up a wrench and thrown it at his brainless head. All he did was chuckle at me.

And though, I know the world of real emotion has surrounded me
I won't give into it
Now I know, that forward is the only way my heart can go
I hear your voice calling out to me, you'll never be alone…

   "Just watching someone with experience." He explained. "You're pretty good at this Cid's girl. Why don't you work with me in the Machine Faction? Your kind of skills are worthy."

Worthy? I almost gagged.

My eyes narrowed and I looked away disgusted. "Not interested."

Gippal just shrugged. "What a loss." He sighed as he continued. "Why don't you take a break? It's already dusk."

I noticed that everyone was already done with their work and was lounging around. Throwing off my gloves, I stood up and stretched. "I guess I will."

The two of us walked outside through the temple doors to see the rosy sun setting. It was stunning.

"Pretty, huh?" Gippal said aloud, looking at the sight.

I nodded slowly, not looking at him. "Yeah… I never saw something like this two years ago. Back when Home was still up. And when Sin still existed…"

He looked at me concerned. "Still, now that we all have the Eternal Calm thanks to the High Summoner, we finally have the time. Hey, since you were one of her guardians, I should be thanking you, eh?"

A smile sprouted on my lips and I looked over at the sunset. Thanks to the Eternal Calm, I don't have to live life on the line. I can… relax.

Pops told me when the Calm started that I should settle down and find a nice boyfriend.

Heh, yeah right.

My gaze focused on the beautiful sight before me. I remember seeing a sunset at the Moonflow when I first became Yunie's guardian. Wakka had said something about 'the more the merrier.' And my response…

"Well then, I'll just have to be the merriest!"

And I truly was.

"Rikku, at you service!"

"Say, uh… Rikku?" Gippal asked out of the blue. His words seemed unsteady as he spoke.

"Yeah?"

"I wonder… since I'm living with you, and we don't see each other a lot, how about we... um…" He seemed to be struggling with his words.

"How about what?" I asked in curiosity. "Gippal?"

"Do you wanna go on a date sometime?" Gippal sputtered quickly.

My eyes widened. A date?

I still can't get over what happened on our last one… Half of me said that I should go for it. And my other half held me back.

"I - um…"

I looked at him. He looked back at me, pleading for a yes.

Well, like Paine says… Fight fear with fear.

"Sure."

Gippal looked stunned. "Serious?"

I nodded. He stood up happily. "Willing to go for a stroll first?" he asked, sticking his hand out to me. I grinned again and took his hand in mine as he pulled me up.

As we slowly walked down the Djose highroad, I spent my time glancing downwards. "About that date…" I began.

"Hm?"

"Where do you plan on taking me?" I questioned.

"That's a surprise."

"Then… how do I know I'll come out alive?"

"Oh, believe me, you'll know."

I was about to answer when…

"NIH VUN OUIN MEVA!" someone shrieked in our direction. One of Gippal's workers looked over at us in horror, screaming for us to run.

A giant hover was pulsing in electric bolts and running madly towards me and Gippal. I looked at it with great dread. Both of us jumped to the side with haste. Its shocking interior trampled over the area, spreading wildly as it ventured.

Suddenly a bolt from its malfunctioning body lurched at me, pushing me over the cliff…

Screaming, I grabbed the ledge as quickly as I could. Whimpering in fright, I looked down at the rocks and sea below me. If I let go… The Gullwings would be a duo.

"Rikku!" Gippal yelled as he reached out as far as he could. "Hold on! I'll save you!"

In my mind I pleaded for him to hurry, my hands were slipping…

I reached upwards and just barely grabbed his hand. I could only reach his fingers, grabbing on with my life. I tried to hang onto his grease-stained gloves as he struggled to pull me up.

But… the hover suddenly turned around, coming back our way. I gasped in fear and looked Gippal in the eye. He looked so scared…

For me.

As it rapidly came back, Gippal yelled in pain as a bolt hit his back, forcing him to lose his grasp…

Our hands slipped…

And my heart shattered.

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A/N: Oh no! What's gonna happen to Rikku! Evil cliffie! ^_^ Sorry this update took a long time… It's not that I have a writer's block or something it's just that school is limiting my time typing up my chapters. -_-;;

Don't forget to review!  ^_^