A/N: Sorry for all the serious chapters and whatnot, but I guess I needed to try to get that through. My confrontation between Gippal and Rikku wasn't really what I wanted it to be, but all well.

I'll try to make this chapter a bit more funny, but I guess I'll see what the outcome is.

It was over. There was nothing I could do. I had told him feelings, fair and square. Heck, it hurt when he told me we were too different to be together, and that when he said he loved me—he avoided it.

But, I can't gripe and moan. Okay, I can, but ONLY in my head. I have to pretend to be all happy and go-lucky around anyone else.

I'll have to just put up with Gippal for now and act like nothing bad happened between us, even though my whole world is crumbling down around me. I mean, friends are better than nothing, right?

Rikku sullenly turned the corner, all the thoughts of her past with Gippal, hopes of the future—slowly leaking out her ear. She dug her finger in there just to make sure nothing was really coming out.

She looked up to see Yuna and Rikku standing together, mumbling. They both looked up when Rikku stood near them. She gave them a smile, tugging on her scarf.

"Hey!" She called, running up. Yuna gave her an odd look. "I heard you yelling to that guy in Al Bhed." Yuna said, nodding her head in Gippal's direction. Rikku's heart leapt.

"In...Al Bhed?" She hadn't known her and Gippal had been arguing in their language.

"Well-both. We heard bits of English from both of you here and there." Paine cut in in her usual monotone.

Boy, she was in a tough position now.

"Err—" She giggled. "You guys must be insane! I wasn't talking to that guy!" She looked over at him slightly. Paine was in the process of rolling her eyes when a expression of knowing dawned on her face.

"You don't happen to be a Princess of the Al Bhed, do you?" She asked out of the blue. Rikku looked at her.

"Well, my dad was the leader of the Al Bhed at home, and they always called me the Princess..."

Paine looked in Gippal's direction quickly, then nodded slowly. "I see."

Yuna and Rikku shared bewildered looks. "Anyway" Yuna started, "I say we go digging!" She smiled and held up a shovel.

Rikku almost nodded when she saw Kalla walk past her. It almost seemed like she glared at her, but when Rikku looked again she was running up to Gippal. She felt her blood boil.

"Actually..." She started, looking up at the temple. "I think I'm gonna stay here."

Yuna and Paine both frowned. "Huh?"

Rikku looked at them quickly. "Going to Bikanel would bring back some terrible memories...you know, Home being destroyed and all that." She put on a frown. "I think I might stay here."

Paine glared at her suspiciously while Yuna nodded her approval. "I understand." She grinned, gave Rikku a quick hug, and walked away. Paine was still standing there, watching Rikku.

"Do I have—er—something on my face?" She asked. Paine just sighed heavily. "Minus 10 respect points Rikku." Rikku sighed. "That's not FAIR!" She cried at the retreating girl.
"Minus—minus 10 THOUSAND points, Paine!"

She folded her arms. "What a cheap shot." She muttered.

The next moment Rikku looked up to see that Yuna and Paine still hadn't left—they were talking to Gippal!
"Oh no, oh no." She muttered, hiding underneath her hair. "Cred..."

"Rikku!" Yuna called, waving to her. She peeked out to see Yuna grinning and Gippal standing there, a smug smirk on his face as if to say 'How ya gonna get out of this one?'

She gave a heavy sigh and ran up to the group. "What?" She asked.

"Oh, I just wanted to introduce you to Gippal. He's the leader of the Machine Faction here!"
"Really?" Rikku asked, glancing up at him with a small smile. "Hey..." She said a bit louder. "I remember you! Gippal! You lived at Home once upon a time, didn't you?" She suddenly started to bounce up and down. "I remember!"

Gippal at first raised one eyebrow, but with a stern look from Rikku, he caught on.

"Rikku? Well, well, if it isn't Cid's Girl!"

She blushed.

"How ya been?"
"Oh, you know, helping save the world-"Yuna laughed.

"Oh yea, this is Yunie, my cousin, and this is Paine—"
"I've been introduced." Gippal cut in, giving Paine a knowing look. Rikku glanced at them momentarily, confused.

"Anyway, off to dig!" Paine interrupted. "Let's go!" Yuna nodded.

"Right. See ya Rikku!" With a wave the two were off.

Then there was more silence.

"You're not going?"
"Naw—told them it brought back too many bad memories."
Gippal snorted. "I'm sure."
She glared at him. "Just to let you know, my DAD had to burn down that place, but you weren't there, were you? Off on your little adventure—"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" Gippal said, holding his hands out in front of him. "Sorry I stated a simple fact."
With a glare from Rikku he quickly changed the subject.

"They're going to be gone for a few days—at least."

Rikku took the hint. "Well, you see, I WAS going to ask you—do you think I can help out here with the machina?" She looked around to see Al Bhed lazing around, gulping down coffee and laughing like old drunks.

Gippal rubbed the back of his head. "Err-you sure?"

Rikku nodded, excited. "Yes! I haven't worked with machina for a while now, but I'm still as good as I was back at Home!" She pointed a finger proudly at herself.

Gippal gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks."

Rikku wiped at her brow with a sweaty, greasy glove. She had started to work on this one machina robot, who didn't seem to want to respond.

The inside of the temple had changed. It now had all sorts of machina coming out of the walls and pillars, working or being worked on and the like. Full of Al Bhed creations-and she loved it.

But she couldn't have told Gippal the real reason she wanted to say. No, she was proud of herself for coming up with an excuse like this to save her butt. She had actually wanted to stay just so she could spend more time with Gippal—and maybe try to win his heart back.

Because, no matter how hard she told herself it was all over, she wanted him back—and she would fight for him, no matter what.

She heard a sudden chuckle from behind her. She whirled around. "Oh. Hey Gippal."

"Why are you lazing around? Get to work!" He grinned and walked around so he was on the other side of the robot. "Any news on her?"
"Well, she seems to be missing of the most important parts-what it could it be-hmm..." Rikku put a finger to her chin mock concentration. "Oh yea! The connecting cables!" She hit her head with her hand with a slight 'duh'. "You know, the things that connect the electrical power to the actual machina—"

"I know." Gippal hissed with a pink face from embarrassment. "Hey, that was just practice." He coughed.

"Sure." Rikku replied.

Gippal folded his arms. "Do you truly want a challenge?" He raised his eyebrows, and the smirk on his face got to Rikku.

"Yea! I do!" Rikku said with fierce determination.
"Come with me then." As he reached out to grab her arm, Rikku pulled back slightly. He gave her a questioning look.

"Er-uh-reflex. Sorry." She grinned sheepishly. Gippal just sighed.
"This way." He led the way up the stairs that had once led to the Cloyster of Trials.
"Up HERE?" Rikku asked. He nodded.
"Great place. Nice and big."
"Gippal! You can't DO that! That's like-that's like-"
Gippal turned around. "It's like using what little space we have for the machine faction. No one CARES about the temples anymore, Rikku!"
She nodded slowly. "I guess."

As they entered the room. Gippal grinned. "Close your eyes."
"I—I can't—I'm physically unable—" Gippal smiled and stuck his hands over her eyes.

"There." He led her into the larger room, with Rikku's thoughts stuck on one thing 'He's touching me!'

"Tada!" Gippal pulled his hands away to the disappointment of Rikku. She gasped.

There, sitting in front of her, was the largest, most threatening looking Machina she had seen in a while. It seemed to be curled up in a small ball, its steel armor flashing from the light. It had all sorts of spikes around the edges where, if it had uncurled, would be those robot arms. She couldn't see the rest, hidden in the tight ball of course, but she was still amazed.

"Well?" Gippal asked, eager.

"It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Rikku gasped.

Gippal laughed. "Great! I made her myself!"

Rikku looked at him, her mouth hanging open. "You DID?"
But before he could answer, Kalla turned around from behind the large machina.

"Yoohoo, Gipp-"She stopped, her eyes stuck on Rikku. "What's SHE doing here?"

Rikku couldn't help but grin. Kalla was already starting to hate her. Perfect.

"Well-uh-Kalla, she's staying here to help with the faction for a few days, because there's so few reliable workers..."
"What about ME?" She asked shrilly.

"Well, er, you've never really done that much ACTUAL work on the machina—"

Kalla hissed at him, but before the fight could get any worse, Rikku rubbed her hands together. "Where do I start?" She asked with hunger for the large robot. "I can't wait!"

A Number of Hours Later...

Rikku grunted as she tried twisting a screw back into place. "With all your machina you'd think you could get a drill or something." She muttered, but Gippal didn't hear her.

"He's too busy listening to Kalla." She muttered in a mock voice. "Kalla, I love you, Kalla, I need you, Kalla, I don't even like you because I told Rikku she was better-"

A voice coughed from out beside the machina monster. Rikku sighed. "Whaddya want?" She asked grouchily.

"Making any progress?" Kalla asked in a snarky tone. How could Gippal not NOTICE?

"A bit. This things tight." She yelled back. Kalla sighed.
"Pick up the pace?"

"Sorry dear, I ain't a chocobo. I'm human, if you hadn't noticed."
"I hadn't." She drawled. "You reminded me of a flan at first." Rikku rolled the board so fast from underneath the machina that Kalla didn't have a chance to blink.

"What?" She snarled. Kalla took a step back. "Don't touch me, you're all greasy—"
"Oh! This?" Rikku asked, gazing at her almost black skin. "Huh. Weird. I guess you'll have to suck it up, deary!" Rikku lunged at the girl, almost ready to tackle her to the ground when Gippal hurriedly stepped in the way, causing Rikku to wham into his chest.

"Ouchy..." Rikku moaned, rubbing at her head.

"Sorry." Gippal said quickly. "Are you all righ-"
"Is SHE all right?" Kalla shrieked. "She almost KILLED me Gippal!" Gippal just nodded.

"Yea Kalla, I know, but she didn't touch you, so—"
Rikku waved a hand at him as she headed back under the robot. "I'm fine, I'm fine." She reassured him before she disappeared again.

Gippal couldn't help but grin. Was she good, or was she good?

"Gippy..." Kalla moaned.

"Gippy!" They heard Rikku's echoey mock voice again. "Gippy, I broke a nail! Fix it!"

Gippal snorted, and this sent a glare from Kalla. He shrugged helplessly.

Rikku grinned. She could almost feel the tension, and she hadn't even been here for one day!

"Hey, Gippal, remember back at Home how we always worked on machina together?"

Kalla gave him a look. "You guys have a—past?" "Oh yea!" Rikku interrupted for him. "We go waay back! Ever since babies, or toddlers, I'd say. INSEPERABLE!" She added for emphasis.

"Didn't see one without the other—"She continued before Gippal coughed. "Yea-that's nice Rikku. I remember."

He looked at Kalla who was shooting daggers at him. "DID you break a nail?" Gippal asked with a cocky grin without thinking. He heard Rikku laugh, and Kalla looked at him with a hurt expression.

"Gippal, I can't—AUGH!" With a deep-set frown she walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Gee, thanks Rikku."
"No problem." She tinkered with some of the wires for a moment or too. "She really gets on my nerves fast."

Gippal laughed. "No way, I couldn't tell."
"Is she making you eat your vegetables every day?"
Gippal smiled, remembering that moment of good-bye. "Nope."
"I'll kill her, you watch me."

A/N: Yay! Biggest chapter yet! Seven pages! Yeehaw! Sorry it wasn't that funny or into the plot, but I'm trying. It's a little hard. R&R please!