Well, I decided to post a little quicker than I'd expected. This chapter should clear up what's happened between the end of FFX-2 and the beginning of this story. There will be plenty of Gippal/Rikku interaction, and the plot should start to roll by the next chapter. Just to point out, this is set after the perfect ending of the game, which I have yet to achieve :(

Enjoy, and shout outs at the bottom :)

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy X-2 is property of Square-Enix, except for the characters in this chapter not in the game.

Chapter II

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Time's change, you know. I suppose Spira's stayed the same mostly, except the Youth League and New Yevon are one team now, fighting for Spira's safety, called Youth Yevon. Go figure! They aren't all young, but I guess the youth part is suppose to give them motivation or something. They even asked Yunie, Paine, and I to join their ranks, high up there too, like generals or commanders. We did save Spira, but all three of us turned it down. Not that we couldn't handle it, but not one of us wanted to sign away our freedom to protect Spira under orders when we can, and have, do it anyways. Oh yeah, by the way, Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal are all head of the division, though Gippal hardly ever sticks around there. I guess he feels his place is at Home, with his friends and machina.

The Eternal Calm has returned, though I think it shouldn't be called "eternal" since Spira has a real talent for housing such entities of destruction. Plus, I doubt even half of Spira knew they were in danger until it was declared the VegnaGun had been defeated. They were all too busy with the Youth League or New Yevon, but I suppose some, like Wakka and Lulu, had personal affairs to attend to.

I think the best part of the whole adventure was at the very end, before the Gullwings separated for different paths. That happened just after Tidus appeared out of nowhere. Well, I guess he appeared in the ocean, but I was so happy for Yunie. I haven't been able to forget the look on her face when she saw his body emerge from the calm waters. I think she felt happy, rejoiced, confused, surprised, scared, and probably a whole lot more. It was real emotion, which I'm surprised that Yunie hasn't sung that song for Tidus yet. Even though Leblanc had faked Yunie's identity at the beginning of our adventure, at the concert, I know the song was meant for my cousin and Tidus.

It's been a long time since I've seen any of my companions, and sometimes I find it hard to go through the day without missing them. Sure, if Gippal wasn't there I'd probably feel worse, but I wouldn't mind catching up on old times. The last person I'd met with outside of Home was Yuna, which happened to be about two weeks ago. She'd dragged me to a dinner party at Bevelle, but I hadn't stayed long. I can be a party animal when I want, but I'd hardly call the dinner part anything but formal. And to tell the truth, I missed Gippal. It seems I can't go anywhere nowadays without missing someone dearly.

I set down the picture of Yunie, Paine, Brother, Buddy, Shinra, and I with reluctance. The Gullwings were no more, as sphere hunting had settled down a lot since VegnaGun's defeat. Brother and Buddy hang around at Home sometimes, although I have no idea where they are when they're not here. I haven't seen Shinra or Paine since the day the picture was taken, a few days after Tidus arrived on the sands of Besaid. I've seen Yuna about five times since then, and made frequent calls to check up on her. Now though, I feel like everything is so plain. Sure, I work around Home with old friends and a few family members, but without an adventure or dire situation beckoning my attention, I just feel like plain old Rikku. The only thing that gives me excitement is Gippal, oddly enough. Just thinking about him makes me jittery. Can't explain why though or maybe I just don't want to admit it. Either way, I need Gippal to help myself keep it together.

"Rikku, I have a call for you," someone told me, and I snapped up as if I'd just awaken from sleep. Lyanna, a girl slightly older than me and a friend, stood in my open doorway. "I couldn't tell who it was, but all they said was that it's urgent and they must speak with you."

"Thanks, Lyanna." Then I followed her out the door and to the main room for calls. Every Al Bhed in home has a phone to receive calls, but it only works in Home. Anyone or calls in or out from outside Home has to connect to the Calling Base.

Lyanna gave me a friendly smile, then left me alone in the small room of scattered machina. With so many Calling Bases around Home, they only need to be a small room. I sat in a comfortable chair, propped my feet up on a table, and took the only received that was off the hook.

"Hi, Rikku speaking!"

In the background, I could hear the whirling sounds of sand maybe, but the connection was filled with static.

"Rikku...talk...soon. Now...a...time. It's important...there's...I...you."

I could only here bits and fragments of the caller's sentences due to the static, but I couldn't even tell who was calling me.

"Hello? I can't hear you!" I shouted in the receiver, wondering if whoever was on the other side could hear me loud and clear.

"We...meet...Section 6...Division...near...Oasis. I...can't...long."

"What was the Division again?" I yelled, having heard only half of the location of my caller. They didn't sound too distressed, but urgency is urgency, and Lyanna had said it was urgent. Recently, the Al Bhed, mainly Pops though, divided up Bikanel Desert into Sections and Divisions so it would be easier to pinpoint anyone or anything lost in the desert. With only half of the coordinates, I was searching in the partial dark. It would take a while to search for the caller's location, unless they were in a close Division. Thankfully I had heard "near Oasis" which narrowed the Division down to three possible choices. Either way, I needed to get a start on the search.

Lyanna wasn't in the hall when I left the Caller Base, but I continued toward the nearest exit out of Home. A few newly designed traveling machina inventions sat next to the exit, purposely situated there. At each exit, the new machina, which had a built in map of the desert and operated something like lift at Bevelle's entrance, except for sand instead of water, waited for a rider, since it was much easier to navigate the desert with it.

As I walked over to one, I remembered Pops' warning about going out into the desert alone. Of course, he'd told me those warning when I was young. I'm sure I can work my way around the terrain and heat now. But maybe it wouldn't hurt to seek assistance.

"Rao, Rikku, fryd'c ib?" A male voice asked me from behind. Turning around, I found Deanz, a guy whom I consider a lot like Gippal, appearance-wise, walking towards me with a smile. "I didn't expect to find you here!"

"I didn't know you were following me," I chided playfully, and punched him the arm softly. He rubbed his arm and laughed, though I knew he was only faking. "I'm just going out for a stroll. What about you?"

Deanz brushed a lock of dirty blonde hair out from in front of his eyes. "A stroll, with that thing?" He pointed at the machina with a smirk. Then I noticed myself already half sitting on it.

"Oh, well, um, I'm looking for someone actually."

"Is someone lost?" Deanz asked, his tanned face and emerald eyes showing concern.

"I'm not sure. They called me, but I couldn't hear all that they said. I don't think they're in trouble though, but they wanted to talk with me."

"Do you want me to come with you? I hear the deserts are getting pretty dangerous with high fiend numbers." Deanz asked, moving closer to me. "I wouldn't want them to harm you." He hugged me with one bare, muscular arm. Though he sounded a little sly, I knew he really meant it in the way that he was worried about me going alone. That, or either he wants to get me alone.

I laughed at my own thought, but then gasped slightly when I heard footsteps behind me.

"What are you two up to?"

Oh great, Gippal.

"Why do you care?" Deanz shot back at the approaching ladies' man, a little harsher than I hoped he would. Gippal and Deanz had never gotten along very well, and with me in the mix...well, I don't even wanna think about it.

"So where you headin' off to, Rikku?" Gippal asked me, ignoring Deanz.

"Um, well I---"

"She doesn't have to explain anything to you, Gippal." Deanz interrupted me, so I shut my mouth and hoped that this would end nicely and not badly.

Gippal was now standing only a few feet away from us, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Go run along, Gippal, I'm sure your precious machina are calling." Deanz said irritably, standing up so that the two guys were at the same height. Both were tall, a few inches over six feet, and stood eye-to-eye.

"Get outta my face or I'll send you cryin' to Rikku." Gippal spat testily, and I knew that there was a slim chance that this would blow over. Deanz shoved Gippal in the chest, and glared at him angrily.

"You've got plenty of girls all wanting you, Gippal, so leave my Rikku alone!"

Excuse me, my Rikku? I was about to object and tell both guys I was just friends with the each of them, but Gippal beat me to the punch. Actually, he just punched before I could speak. Deanz stumbled backwards from the blow to his jaw, almost knocking into me. I squealed at the sudden scuffle, though I knew it was inevitable. Deanz steadied himself and then lunged at Gippal, tackling him to the ground. Gippal grappled him though, and the two started wrestling and fighting on the floor. I just watched dumbly, though I didn't mind two guys fighting over me. Finally, I scoffed and turned my back to them, readjusting my position on the machina.

After sneaking a sideways glance at the two wrestling men, I started the machina up.

"Wait Rikku! Don't go alone!" Deanz shouted, scurrying up to join me but Gippal took him down from behind. Knowing they'd probably kill each other fighting over me, which scared me, I hopped off the machina and went to break them up. When they saw me, both guys slowed their punches and grabs, giving me enough time to grab their wrists and pull them apart.

"Why are you two such asses?" I screamed, enjoying a good licking I'd give them both. But Gippal turned and started to walk away like nothing happened and he didn't care at all. "Hey!" I yelled and grabbed his arm, spinning him around.

Gippal had a busted lip and his eye patch was messed up. One of his sleeves had been ripped off, and a long rip in his shirt stretched across his chest. A bruise was forming on his cheek. Though I knew Gippal as a great fighter, an all out brawl didn't matter upon skill. It mattered about which guy would fight the longest.

I glanced over at Deanz, and noted his condition too. It seemed Gippal had done the most damage. The sleeveless shirt Deanz was wearing had been ruined much more than Gippal's shirt, and one bruise graced each of his cheeks. His lip was busted as well, and he was panting heavily.

I looked from one man to the other, while glaring and sneering.

"I can't believe you two! As flattering as it is to be fought over, you two acted like wild kids. And both of you are what, adults?" Gippal had just turned nineteen only recently, and Deanz was twenty-one. "I'm going alone now! I want both of you to leave each other alone and think about how badly you acted. If you both like me so much then I trust you won't do any more stupid things." I hated sounding like a scolding mother, I'm younger than both Gippal and Deanz, but if I didn't yell at them, I was sure they'd lash at each other again.

Without another word, I kicked my leg over the machina, started it up once more, and shot out of the exit and into the desert.

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Time passed slowly, probably due to the heat and fruitless labor. I figured about an hour had passed, and I'd already searched all around the Oasis. Maybe the called had meant near something else, like a marker or something opposite of the Oasis. So, I decided to scan a larger radius around the Oasis, hoping I'd find something soon.

About five minute later, having stopped my machina and started drinking some water I'd brought, I noticed something in the distance. I could barely see it, since it was way far behind me. Maybe it was a mirage, you know, but I didn't think so. I started to walk towards a nearby large rock atop a sand dune, and waited for whatever was following me to pass to my side.

After what seemed like hours, or maybe just the heat, someone stepped up to my machina bike. The sand was blowing and I couldn't really see who it was. Their frame suggested a male, and they were tall. I took a few steps closer, but my foot caught in the steep sands and sent me sprawling. The person who'd been stalking me spun around at my scream, watching me tumble through the sandy hill. I couldn't stop myself and crashed right into the stranger, sending both of us into the sands. Most of the golden grains caught it my hair, and I felt itchy with my bared skin against desert floor. When I looked up though, I found myself staring into captivating, swirling eyes of an Al Bhed.

"Gippal!!! You were following me!!!"

Giving a sheepish chuckle, Gippal jumped to his feet and carefully hoisted me onto mine. I gripped his powerful arms to steady myself, the effects of my fall still giving me a disoriented feeling. Once I was stable, Gippal slipped off his shirt, he'd changed out of his ripped one, dumping loads of sand that had caught inside his shirt.

"Don't think taking your shirt off will make me forget about you stalking me!" I spat at him, as he brushed some sands off his abs. "Are you listening?" I asked him irritably, but he just chuckled.

"I was thinking of leaving it off. It's been gettin' hotter out here." Gippal affirmed, tugging his sandy shirt into the pocket of his pants. He then drew close to me, his body inches from mine. "Will you tell me why you ran off?"

"Besides the fact that you and Deanz were acting like trained idiots? There's someone I need to meet, and you're slowing me down Gippal." He pressed closer to me, but I pushed against his bare chest. "Don't think you can make up for how you acted, Gippal!" I shot at him, turning my back and starting to walk off through the dunes. I silently cried in joy, as I saw a campsite on the horizon. The caller has to be there!

I started to jog towards it, yet I heard Gippal's muffled footsteps follow me. "I thought I told you to stay away, stalker!"

"I don't remember that," Gippal responded furtively, only adding to my annoyance toward him. Without even bothering to retort, I simply jogged faster. It proved a mistake though, as it seemed to convince Gippal that I was playing with him and it was all a game. He laughed and easily caught up to me, though if I was really trying I could probably give him a run for his money. His arm wrapped around my waist and he picked me up, despite my screeching. I pounded my fists on his chest and pouted, but all I caused Gippal to do was lose his balance, thus sending us into a fall. Gippal landed on top of me, pressing me against the sand. I grunted in rage, and then pushed him off me. Gippal was still laughing, now covered in sand, as he pushed himself up. I didn't bother to brush myself off as I stormed to the campsite, calling Gippal bad words in Al Bhed under my breath.

The campsite was pretty empty with only three people were present. I recognized two as Al Bhed guards who'd been assigned to keep a weary eye for lost and disoriented travelers in distress, or to accompany those not used to the desert.

The two guards greeted me in Al Bhed, while the third occupant of the campsite simply turned to me. I couldn't believe they were dressed in bright blue robes, knowing that the heat was surely getting to this person. The hooded figure, pushed back their hood, and I couldn't help but gasp in surprised and glee.

With the spiky and part brown hair, and always smiling face, I couldn't help but smile at my cousin. But I had no idea why Yunie was here, and as she rushed to greet me, I couldn't help but feel a little troubled.

Whenever Yuna would meet me unexpectedly with a happy look, I knew that there was something deeply disturbing her. Whatever it was, I hoped it wasn't going to ruin our meeting.

We embraced each other in a hug for a few seconds, and then parted. Yuna gazed past me with a confused glance probably because she noticed Gippal, covered in sand and shirtless, standing behind me. Then her expression changed to a worrisome look, just as I'd expected it to do.

"Rikku, I know I usually call first, but I had to reach you quickly. I hate having to say this, but you must know, Spira's in trouble once more."

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Rao Rikku, fryd'c ib (Hey Rikku, what's up)

Hope the Gippal and Rikku bits were on target, I'm trying to portray them as more than friends of course, but I think Rikku denies it. Don't worry though, Gippal could always change her mind. I want to know if I did the beginning well, and I hope it didn't seem boring. I put it in as Rikku's thoughts to bring the story up to terms and to show what happened before the beginning of this fic. Next chapter the plot will start up. I'll also try to put up the Al Bhed translations at the end.

reviewers:

voicelord: I'm glad you're liking it, and I hope you continue to enjoy reading it. I'm trying hard to get the characteristics right, so it's nice to know you like them.

JMO: glad you're interested in the fic. A CommSphere is like a video player, but also a communicating sphere in which the users can talk and view each other. Please keep readin' Mo-J;)

Tanya Takaishi: thank you a lot for the great and long review. I took heed to your suggestion and I hope the grammer/spelling is better in this one. And it's good to know you understand how I'm doing Rikku, since as bubbly and cheerful she is on the outside, I don't expect her to be like that always on the inside. I really hope you continue to r&r.

taggerung0254: I'm happy you like the story, and I was trying for humor with the Sand Worm ending, so I'm glad you liked it.

rikkuFan: good to know you're liking it.

Back of Beyond: whoa, thanks. I hope this update is fast enough for ya.

SpiffyAngel-4: RxG are just a great couple, aren't they? Glad you like the fic.

Review, keep reading, and enjoy the fic;)