A/N-My computer is SOOOO messed up! Well, anyways, just took a major grade test for algebra and I got a 100! Woot! Go me! Hee-hee! Anyways, thanks for the reviews, you guys! It makes me feel so much better! Anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter!

♥Every Heart♥

Chapter Twelve: Runaway

Later that day, Leblanc returned from her visit with Nooj. Her magenta eyes widened at the sight before her as she entered Djose Temple.

"What…what happened here?" she voiced aloud, turning around in circles swiftly. She eyed the broken statues and their crumbled bits on the ground, the cracked staircase, a huge mass of blood on the ground to her left, and the absence of a certain Machine Faction Leader.

A young Al Bhed man with goggles strapped to the top of his head walked up to her. "Dra cibansylrehy mucd luhdnum—"

"I don't understand Al Bhed," Leblanc spoke quickly, her eyes darting around.

"Fryd yna oui cyoehk? E tuh'd ihtancdyht," the Al Bhed spoke and shook his head, confused. Leblanc sighed and scratched the back of her neck, her soft blond locks lightly grazing her purple gloved hand.

"Umm…I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. Noojie-Woojie did try to teach me….Let's see…Fryd'c ib, pedlr?" She tried, hoping she had said the right thing. The Al Bhed looked extremely offended, but just turned around and stomped away, muttering something in Al Bhed. "Guess that wasn't right…"

Looking around once more, the woman clad in pink decided to try going to Rikku's room, hoping the girl was in there. She stopped in front of the door and knocked lightly. "Are you in there, love?" No reply. Slowly, Leblanc turned the knob and peeked inside. She gasped and rushed inside, her right hand covering her open mouth.

Rikku was lying on the bed, the covers drawn up to her chin. Her tanned arms were devoid of their usual pale yellow ribbons, and tiny burn marks marred her flesh. It was obvious that medicine had been rubbed onto her arms to heal the wounds quicker. Tearstains were evident on her features, and her blonde hair was loosely draped over the pillow, drenched with sweat. A bowl filled with cool water sat off to the side where a cloth rested beside it.

"What…what happened?" Leblanc questioned again, at a loss of words.

"So, you're back." Leblanc turned around and faced Gippel, who had a blank look on his usually smirking face. He was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his broad chest, head tilted down, his left leg crossed over his right.

"Gippel…what did I miss?" The Machine Faction Leader pushed himself off of the frame and slowly entered the room, sitting down on the chair next to Rikku's bed.

"There was an accident. Rikku was trying to put a nicotine patch on my arm and we collided with the supermachina. It rolled down the stairs and crashed into people and statues. Rikku tried to stop it while I was recovering and when it toppled over…this metal assembly piece dislodged itself and pierced Paine. Then Rikku collapsed and Uppahc caught her." He finished, closing his eye and slightly wincing. Leblanc gasped again and noted that Gippel's gloves had clenched when he mentioned Uppahc's name. She looked down at Rikku.

"This all happened while I was gone…?" Gippel nodded his head and glanced at the Al Bhed girl. He brought out a gloved hand and gently stroked her face, brushing away a strand of blonde hair.

"Hand me the water bowl." Complying with his request, Leblanc grabbed the bowl by the bed and dabbed the cloth into the water, handing both objects to Gippel. "Thanks." He sighed and gently erased the tearstains. After he was done, he handed the water bowl back to Leblanc and she placed it back on the table.

"So…where's Paine? And Yuna?"

"Paine was taken by a hover to Luca to be taken care of. We heard news that the metal punctured her diaphragm, so they don't know if they can remove it without her losing her ability to breathe. They said there's only a 13% chance that she'll survive," he whispered, looking down.

"And Yuna…?" Leblanc asked, her normally steady voice wavering.

"She fainted. Tidus is looking after her in her room."

"Oh…"

"What do you mean 'oh'?!" Gippel suddenly stood up and started to pace around the room as a bewildered Leblanc just stared at him. "It's all my fault that this happened! If I had just let Rikku put that damn nicotine patch on my fucking arm, none of this would've happened!" He screamed in anguish and punched the wall, breathing heavily. "It's my fault…" Leblanc stood up as well and placed a consolingly hand on his shoulder as his breathing became ragged.

"No…it's no one's fault. Calm down, Gippel. Please." She awkwardly patted him on the back and rubbed his shoulders, not knowing what else to do.

"No…it's my fault. If it weren't for me, Paine would be ok, my Al Bhed people wouldn't be seriously injured, and Rikku…Rikku would be pestering me and smiling…" He walked back to the chair and slumped down, bringing his face down into his hands.

Leblanc didn't know what to do. Usually, Gippel was the calm and reserved one, never breaking under stress or pressure. "…Don't worry, Gippel. Everything will be fine…" She whispered, standing next to him.

"No…it won't be. When Rikku wakes up, she'll never forgive me. It's all my fault. I…I gotta get outta here." He stood up suddenly, nearly knocking Leblanc out of the way. Before she could do and say anything, the Al Bhed man had rushed out of the room.

Djose Temple; Rikku's Room-Rikku, Leblanc, and Uppahc

Voices. So many voices. I groaned, lifting a hand to my eyes as I slowly opened them. The voices stopped and suddenly two familiar faces were in front of me, relief in their eyes.

"Rikku! Rikku, can you hear me? Are you ok? Talk to me, love!" Definitely Leblanc. I looked at the other person's face, squinting my eyes to correct my hazy vision.

"Miss Rikku! Are you alright?" Uppahc clamped his strong hands on my shoulders to steady me as I tried to sit up.

"What's going on? What happened?" I whispered as their faces became clear to me. I winced as I felt a stinging in my arms. I looked down and noticed the red scratches, eyeing them oddly. "Where'd I get those?"

"You mean you don't remember, miss?" Realization dawned on me and I fell back against the pillow, bringing a hand to my mouth.

"Oh…Paine…" I whispered, feeling a lump forming in my throat, "Where is she?"

"In Luca." Leblanc answered quickly, looking down.

"And Gippel?" I asked quietly, feeling afraid.

"We don't know, miss. He ran off somewhere yesterday night. No one's heard or seen from him." My eyes widened and I sat up straight, groaning as the room spun around me.

"Why'd he run off?"

"…He didn't want you to be angry with him. He kept on saying it was his fault, love…"

"But it's not! C'mon, we have to find him! He could be hurt out there!" I tried to swing my legs over the side but Uppahc pushed me back down.

"I don't think you should get up yet, miss! You should rest for a few more hours, yes?"

"NO! WE HAVE TO FIND GIPPEL!" I was surprised by my own urgency, but I stared determinedly at Uppahc, and then Leblanc. I gripped the edges of the comforter as I awaited their response.

"Rikku, love…I think it would be wise to heed Uppahc's advice." I growled and crossed my arms over my chest, turning away.

"Fine…" I muttered. A plan started to form in my mind as the two nodded and left me to myself. As soon as the lights were all off inside Djose Temple, I would leave to find Gippel. I had an idea where that man could be.

A/N-Sorry I haven't updated in a while! Monstrous stuff to do! (Not really) Well, I finished Xenosaga! Great ending! I can't wait for the second episode! Well, I don't have anything else to say so review! Thanks!

Moshi Moshi Mai

Translations:

"Dra cibansylrehy mucd luhdnum—" : The supermachina lost control—"

"Fryd yna oui cyoehk? E tuh'd ihtancdyht." : What are you saying? I don't understand.

"Fryd'c ib, pedlr?" : What's up, bitch?