"Man, am I glad that Paine and Baralai are gone," Gippal said hotly, "I can sure live easier without that gothic chick breathing down my neck!" Overcome with his elation, Gippal toppled over the counter and crashed on the floor.

"Don't give yourself a heart attack," Rikku said coolly, toying with the straw in her drink, swirling around the ice and enjoying the clinking sounds it made on the glass.

"Well," Gippal argued, dragging himself back up to the counter and kneeling so his eyes were level with Rikku's, "You can't tell me you aren't glad to get rid of them."

"I…Well, I don't know, I guess."

"Whatever." Gippal jumped up, sitting on the counter. "Now we just have to get rid of that self absorbed…woman stealing…freak…Tidus," he mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Rikku asked in disbelief.

"What, you're into the fruitcake?" Gippal asked heatedly, "You like that prat?"

"Prat?" repeated Rikku.

"Nnmph," answered Gippal.

"I hate him," Tidus said shortly, as Yuna paced the room, looking for something suitable to wear when they went to the caves they were supposed to inspect.

"Who," She asked absentmindedly, "Gippal?"

"Yemph."

"I see…why?"

"He's a total womanizer! And now he's after Rikku!"

"I see…well, I think you don't give him enough credit. He's a good guy."

Tidus snorted.

"Wow!" Rikku raised an arm above her eyes. "It's huge!"

"Yeah," Gippal muttered, not as enthusiastic, "Almost like the flames that engulfed my cabin when I tried to burn that plastic excuse for a breakfast you gave me the other day."

"What." Rikku said threateningly, not even using the word in question form.

"Oh, it's nothing!"

"I thought as much."

"Well," Yuna interrupted, "let's go!"

"Yes, and leave Gippal in there," Tidus said sourly.

"What was that?" Gippal asked, glaring at Tidus.

"What was what?"

"Okay, Yuna and I will go this way, and Tidus and Gippal can—"

"I'm not going anywhere with him," The two men yelled in unison.

"IF I TELL YOU TO GO YOU WILL!"

"I WILL NOT," argued Tidus.

"You stubborn cow! Why can't you behave?"

"What? What about you!" Tidus, taken aback by Rikku's sudden mood swing, yelled back.

"Look, Tidus, let's just…" Gippal began.

"NO, I WILL NOT!" Tidus shouted in Gippal's ear.

"What the hell is with you, man?" Gippal stepped out of Tidus's reach, "okay, I'll go with her, how's that?"

"I can't allow that."

"What?"

"Take that!" Tidus swung his fist at Gippal, who ducked. Tidus hit one of the walls and the cave seemed to shake.

"Whoa!"

"Fight like a man!" Tidus commanded.

"What was I before, a horse?"

"Could've fooled me!"

"Alright, dude, you asked for it!" Taking a swing at Tidus, Gippal knocked him to the floor, and kicked him. "Get up!"

"You're evil."

"You started it," Gippal said in disbelief.

"Come with me," Yuna said, dragging Tidus outside.

"You know, Gippal," Rikku said, watching him nurse his black eye, "You get in a lot of trouble for someone who's supposed to be…like, professional."

Gippal grunted in response.

"What's……that rumbling sound….?"

Gippal looked behind him.

"Ur, vilg," he muttered, scooped Rikku up, and ran like hell.

Just as Gippal sprinted out of the mouth of the cave, Rikku's scream echoed off the walls. A huge mound of snow sprayed through the entrance. Tidus threw Yuna out of range.

"Oh, CRAP!" Gippal raced ahead of the snow as it stopped, and the mountain stopped rumbling.

"Is…everyone okay?" Yuna wiped snow off her half a skirt.

"Meep…" Rikku mumbled.

Taking big, unsteady breaths, Gippal finally lost his temper. Dropping Rikku, he bellowed, "What the FUCK was that? AN AVALANCHE IN A FREAKIN CAVE! GIVE ME THE HELL A BREAK!

"Hmm," Yuna said.

"Odd," Tidus agreed.

Gippal grabbed Tidus by the front of the shirt, practically spitting with rage.

"ODD? ODD? WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE FOOLING! WE COULD'VE BEEN KILLED!"

Rikku rolled her eyes. This was going to result in another fist fight.

"If it weren't for you, of course…" She said flirtatiously. Tidus stared at her. Yuna giggled, covering her mouth with her hand when Tidus glared at her.

"EXACTLY," Gippal yelled, "I er, what?"

"Okay, remind me again why we're going out so late?" Rikku asked, stifling a yawn and stretching her stiff arms. Gippal had practically dragged her out of bed to go investigate the caves.

"I mean, you want to go back in there after we're practically eaten by an avalanche?"

Gippal looked at her for a moment.

"Sounds right," he said, turning away.

"Ugh," Rikku said.

"Do you know where we are?"

"Of course not, Gippal…I fell asleep about two miles back."

"Good job, idiot."

"What? You're the one leading this expedition! And, may I add, if you call me idiot, one more time, I may have to kill you!"

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yeah!"

"…idiot."

"That's IT!" Leaping for Gippal, limbs flailing and eyes flashing, Rikku dove on top of him and they tumbled into a wall.

"Gotcha!" Rikku gasped, pinning Gippal's arms to the icy walls of the cave and breathing heavily, using her body weight to keep him down.

"Yeah, you did."

Gippal brushed Rikku's short, choppy blond hair out of her face and held her face in his gloved hands. She shivered, and her arms gave out. She dropped onto Gippal. There was a rumbling sound.

"Not again!" Gippal yelled. "Rikku! GET OUT!"

Scared, Rikku grabbed Gippal's hand and they started to run. The ground started sliding beneath their feet, and Rikku felt herself falling backwards. The ground crumbled beneath them, revealing another level…a hundred feet below.

Rikku threw herself over the side of the ledge and grabbed Gippal's hand.

"Get out of here! Rikku, leave now!"

"I'm not going to let you fall!"

"Rikku! GET OUT!"

Gippal's gloved slipped off his hand. Rikku shrieked and groped the air, trying to catch hold of his hand again.

"Rikku! Run!" was the last thing she heard as the caves started rumbling again. Sobbing and screaming, Rikku ran out of the caves, still clutching the glove, as the ice and rocks collapsed in upon the bearer of Rikku's childhood.