A/N: This story was written just as an attempt to do something slightly out of the norm from the traditional pairings and occurrences of most fan fiction. Don't misunderstand – most of my favorite stories are traditional pairings, but once in a while it's fun to change things around a bit. Enjoy this twist of fate and remember, Square-Enix owns the characters and the characters own you… for life, yo. Word.
General Attitude (lyrics) by Collective Soul
If you're new to the idea of Yuna x Gippal and are having a hard time trying to picture them together, I've put together a sample picture to help your imagination (visit my profile for the link).
Light
Chapter Six – Hazy
♥
For the first time, Yuna was becoming painfully aware of the bruises that were starting to form from her recent encounter with the flock of Wyverns. She was still feeling a little shaken from the whole incident and was thankful that Gippal was carrying her as her legs were like jell-o at the moment.
For over two years, she had been prepared to face any form of fiend that life might throw at her. She could perform magical and physical attacks without much thought. But now, her magic was all but useless and all of her weapons were back in her native world. She knew that she wasn't some sort of superhuman, but to be reminded of it in such a painful way wasn't the greatest way to end such a hectic two days. She felt completely worn out. Being able to relax a little in Gippal's arms was at least a small consolation. She let out a little sigh, breath running across the Al Bhed's neck.
Gippal glanced down at the brunette, corners of his mouth curling up slightly. He was thankful she was all right, and was admittedly thankful to be able to hold her close to him for the moment, but at the same time, he was furious that she was attacked in the first place. He couldn't remember a time when the guards had failed to protect the districts. Their diligence was part of the reason the heartless wouldn't ordinarily dare to attack. Whoever or whatever the cause of their absence was, he wanted answers and he wanted them quickly.
When they reached the shop, the line had dwindled down dramatically, but the remaining customers were shouting at the top of their lungs.
"I still need a Thundaga Ring!"
"Where are the Blizzara Rings?"
Suddenly, Rikku caught sight of her two friends. "YUNIE!" She cried. Cid and George looked out over the heads of the people that were squished into the shop and saw the two Spirans standing outside. Rikku plowed through the remaining customers and raced over to them. "What happened? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Rikku," Yuna replied, smiling slightly.
"Think you can stand?" Gippal asked her. Yuna nodded and Gippal carefully set her on her feet. "Help her for a sec, Rikku."
"Sure, sure," Rikku replied. She took a hold of her cousin's arm to keep her standing.
"I'll be right back…" An icy glow crept into the Al Bhed's swirling green eye. He pushed into the quieting crowd and stood in the center of the room, eying every customer with a dangerous look. He quickly caught sight of a couple of guards in the corner of the room and had to restrain himself from shoving the nearby customers out of his way to get to them. The guards stared back at him, eyes wide with surprise. "Are you gentlemen aware that the Third District is completely unprotected at the moment?" His voice was icily serious, no hint of warmth present.
The guards looked at one another, then back at Gippal. Then one of them broke the silence. "We're from the Second District Exit Area team."
"Now that I think about it, we haven't seen anyone from the Third District teams, and their shifts were supposed to end awhile ago." The other added.
Gippal nodded. "In that case, I suggest you get a hold of your chief and let him know the current situation. One person has already been injured and from the looks of things, I don't think an inexperienced person would be able to survive for very long. You can use our phone. But first…" He turned and faced the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to inform you that the Accessory Shop is closed for the night. Thank you for shopping, we'll see you next year."
This, as can be expected, was met with a chorus of opposition, but Cid quickly rectified the situation.
"LISTEN UP, &(#&(#! THE MAN SAID WE'RE CLOSED! EVERYONE OUT! NOW!" He yelled, face beginning to turn red.
Finally persuaded, the crowd began to quickly disperse and after a few minutes of pushing and shoving, the store was quiet and nearly empty.
"Phone's over here, boys." Cid said, ushering the two guards behind the front counter.
Meanwhile, Gippal made his way back outside.
"That was quick." Rikku remarked with a grin.
"Heh, no sweat." Gippal replied with a simple shrug. His voice had retained its normal cockiness. He easily scooped Yuna back into his arms. "Alley-oop."
"Gippal, really you don't have to-"
"Nonsense." A smirk curled across his face. "Besides, I left my weights back in Spira." Gippal replied, beginning to lift Yuna up and down slightly as if she were a barbell.
Yuna's eyes widened slightly and she her grasp tightened on the Al Bhed. "H-hey!" She said laughingly.
"Seriously, though." Gippal said as he stopped moving her. "Those are some pretty nasty bruises you've got. They'll probably hurt like hell in the morning." He started to walk towards the door. "We need to get you to bed."
"Gee, someone's in a rush… Don't you usually buy them dinner, first, Gippy?" Rikku said, smirking.
Gippal quickly fought off a blush, then eyed the other Al Bhed smoothly. "Heh, I'm glad you considered that Happy Meal good enough to be called 'dinner'." Gippal replied, giving her a positively evil grin.
Rikku immediately turned red. "W-what?"
Yuna started to laugh. "So you two were close. I take it it's been awhile since that night, right?"
"Yes, yes, it has." Gippal replied, smirking at Rikku. She, on the other hand, was shaking her head fervently.
"Well then, just make sure you two keep it down tonight, okay?" Yuna continued smoothly.
"Oka-What?" Gippal blinked a few times. "Rikku, you're a bad influence on your cousin!"
"M-me? What about you, Mr. Happy Meal!" Rikku shot back.
"…Mr. Happy Meal…?" Gippal raised an eyebrow.
Rikku sighed. "It's not my fault, I'm TIIIIRED!" She whined. "Let's all just go to bed…"
"Kinky…"
"GAH! GIPPAL!"
♥
A little while later, Gippal came back downstairs. Cid and the two guards were standing near the counter, talking.
"An investigation is under way as we speak." The first one said as Gippal joined them.
"We still haven't located the missing teams." The other added. "Do you mind telling us exactly what you saw while you were there?"
Gippal explained about the heartless lining the sky and having to pry them away from the door to the small house with firepower. "That's not all," Gippal continued, his voice becoming grave. "Yuna told me she saw someone on the roof while she was being attacked. She described her as a blonde woman wearing black clothing. She said the woman drained her magic and then vanished." He scratched his head for a moment. "I think I've seen her before, too. I'm fairly certain I saw her just before I left my world." The guards continued to take down notes as Gippal recalled his last day on Spira.
Gippal stood at the stern of the ship, watching how the boat turned the calm sea water to miniature torrents. He was on his way to yet another boring meeting with Baralai and Nooj on Spira's current state. It had been – how many months now? – after Vegnagun's defeat and the leaders of the Youth League and New Yevon were still insistent on keeping each other up to date with the progress of their respective groups. Gippal, on the other hand, didn't really care, and was fairly certain the Machine Faction didn't really care, either. As far as he could see, they were all "coping" with the latest evil's defeat rather well. Nevertheless, he loved his friends enough to humor them.
Besides, there was always the chance he might meet someone really hot-er… really concerned with Spira's wellbeing… and he would be more than happy to discuss his visions for Spira's future over dinner… Of course, it always ended at dinner, because although he didn't mind the "love 'em and leave 'em" bad boy image people had of him, he secretly prided himself of the fact that he wasn't a whore. It made him feel like a real leader, instead of the mere front man he often felt like.
Currently, he had his eyes set on a particular raven-haired beauty he had seen when he first boarded. She had disappeared below deck awhile ago, but as soon as they landed, Gippal was fully prepared to work his charm. He glanced around for a moment. No one. Maybe they had all gone below deck as well. He shrugged and turned his attention back to the sea.
Just as he was about to start dreaming up opening lines, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and saw a blonde woman with icy blue eyes staring back emotionlessly at him. Her hair was severely slicked back and she wore a black, hooded cloak. In one swift motion, she placed her hand to the side of his face.
"You who all of Spira holds in their heart, come with me."
"Everything after that is pretty much a blur…" Said Gippal. He shifted his weight to the other foot. "When I learned about the whole 'Princesses of Heart' ordeal, I thought about that moment again. What she said… doesn't really describe me… Well, to the female population, maybe," he added with a smirk, "but I know someone else who fits that description far too well. And I was happy they took me instead of her." His voice grew softer. "And then I found that she had been brought here, too." He looked up at the three men who were intently listening. "I don't know why, but I think they're after Yuna. I don't really want to tell her, though, because… well… She's been through a lot of crap in her life and… I don't want to see her worry. She won't worry about herself, she'll worry about the people of this world and most likely the whole universe and…" he trailed off. "It's about time the world protected her for a change."
Cid nodded. "Sounds only fair."
"This should help our investigation quite a lot. Thank you for your time," the second guard said.
"If there's any new evidence, we'll notify you immediately." The first added. They gave Cid and Gippal a quick salute, then exited the shop.
Cid scratched his chin. "Yuna's got her heart set on entering that tournament, doesn't she? That might be a tad dangerous… Make sure you don't let her out of your sight for a minute."
"What about the gummi ship?" Gippal asked, surprised.
"Eh, she's about done anyway. Finish up the plans you've been workin' on tomorrow and I'll handle the rest." He paused for a second. "Hey… what's she gonna use to fight with?"
"Leave that to me," Gippal replied.
♥
Needless to say, everyone slept in the next morning.
Around noon, Rikku woke up and made herself some pancakes and sausage links. She sat down near the fireplace and listened to the peace of the store. The silence was absolute heaven after the two days of yelling she had had to endure. Since she had the rest of the day off, she decided she would take a walk around town and then get to work on her own special synthesis project – a new, improved set of thief blades. She planned to imbue the blades with elemental magic by fusing different elemental shards together to create a lightweight, incredibly strong material to make the weapons from. Without any customers to bother her, she figured she'd have them finished by the end of the day.
"Hey, yawn… What're you doing up so early?"
Rikku looked up to find Gippal sleepily staring down at her. "Early? It's almost noon! Time to wakey wakey and get started on a brand new day!"
"What's got you so darn cheerful?" Gippal asked, climbing down the ladder.
Rikku pulled the plans for her blades out of her back pocket and held them in front of his face. "These!" She replied excitedly. "Nice, huh?"
"Not, bad," Gippal replied, nodding. "The shard fusion idea is genious…"
"I know! Isn't it?" Rikku continued. "Once I finish those, I just have to find a battle outfit and I'm ready to rock!"
Gippal rolled his eyes. "Why not just wear what you have on?"
"Ohohoho… how quickly you forget… Two words. Sexy. Guys. …As far as the eye can see!" She sighed happily imagining it.
"…Uh…huh…"
She stuck her tongue out at him and then finished off the last of her food. "I'm not gonna let you spoil my fun!" She said, mouth full. A few minutes later, she was out the door.
♥
Awhile later, George and Cid joined Gippal downstairs. George practically inhaled his breakfast and left for the tavern, eager to spend every moment of free time with his sweetheart.
As Gippal and Cid were finishing their coffee, they saw something slide under the door out of the corner of their eyes. When Gippal retrieved it, he found it was an envelope made of what seemed to be plastic and it was addressed to Cid. Cid carefully opened it and read it out loud.
"Dear Cid and Merlin,
I have heard others speak of your ingenuity and talent for making the implausible possible. I am hoping you will be able to use your abilities to help me with a difficult problem of mine. You see, I've always wanted to enter the Coliseum games, but have never been able to because I have fins instead of legs. If you could make some sort of device that might help me be able to compete, I would be eternally grateful to you both. I know I can hold my own against any land-dweller, any day! Thanks for your help.
Sincerely,
Ariel,
Princess of Atlantica"
Cid jumped out of his seat. "WOO-HOO-HOO! This could REALLY put us on the map! We'd be famous across the universe! I gotta tell ol' Merlin right away!" Cid began to quickly stuff the letter back in its envelope and was almost to the door when he suddenly stopped and slapped his forehead. "Can't leave Yuna alone while she's sleeping."
"Go ahead and go. I'll stay." Gippal replied.
"You sure? I don't want you to have to be cooped up in here on your day off." Said Cid.
Gippal just waved his hand. "Sure, just go. Besides, I promised I'd make a set of guns for her anyway."
"Alright then! Ha-hah! Just you wait! We'll be famous!" Cid cried as he rushed out the door.
Gippal shook his head. The prospect of new inventions always got Cid as excited as a chocobo in a field of gyshal greens.
♥
For the next half hour, he was able to finish the gummi ship plans and most of the new Twin Bees plans. He decided to call them the "Queen Bees," because they were much more advanced than their predecessors. After awhile, he decided to take a break and bring Yuna some breakfast.
After carefully carrying the tray of food up the ladder and the small set of stairs, he balanced it in one hand and managed to open the door to her room. When he saw her, she seemed to be tossing and turning in her bed, a look of pain on her face. Gippal quickly set the tray down on a nearby table and rushed over to her side.
"Yuna… Hey, wake up…" He said as he shook her.
Her eyes opened rapidly, fear swirling in their green and blue depths, but they seemed to calm when she realized where she was and who was looking down at her.
"Are you all right?" Gippal asked.
"Oh, y-yeah, I'm okay. It was just a weird dream, that's all." Yuna replied sheepishly.
"You're sure?"
"Yeah, yeah, don't worry." Yuna replied, summoning a bright smile. She noticed the food on the table. "Is that for me?"
"Tch, no, it's mine," Gippal replied, smirking. "Yeah, it's for you. I thought you might be hungry."
Yuna nodded. "I'm starved."
♥
After Yuna had finished eating, Gippal took the tray and set it back on the table. Then he sat back down on the chair he had pulled up to her bed and turned back to the brunette. "So, how do you feel?"
"Like I was run over by a shoopuf." Yuna replied, stretching. "But, really, I don't feel as bad as I thought I might. I know Rikku was going to go shopping for an outfit today; maybe I will, too."
"Oh no you're not," Gippal replied seriously. "You've got dark circles under your eyes and if you want to get rid of those bruises and start training for the tournament, you've got to rest."
"But, I can't sleep…" Yuna protested quietly.
"You afraid you'll have another nightmare?" Gippal asked. He eyed her with a cocky 'Don't-try-to-deny-it' look.
"N-no…" Yuna replied, averting her gaze.
Gippal smirked. "That's okay. I'll just uh… hold your hand until you fall asleep. Bad dreams are afraid of me." He added matter-of-factly.
A small smile spread on Yuna's face. "Is that so? Well… alright then…" She grasped Gippal's hand and closed her eyes. A few seconds later, she abruptly opened them.
"What?"
"Your arm's going to get tired." Yuna replied, frowning slightly.
Gippal rolled his eyes as he smiled. "All right, scoot over."
"…What?" Yuna replied, confused.
"Scoot. Over." He repeated, smirking.
Yuna slowly moved over and Gippal plopped his T-shirt and jean clad body next to hers. He held on to her hand and placed his other hand behind the back of his head.
"If the guys back at D'jose could only see me now - in bed with the High Summoner." He sighed deeply, then winked at her to let her know he was only joking.
Yuna giggled. "On bed actually."
"Eh, that's just a technicality," Gippal replied. He shrugged. "Either way, once you've been in bed with an Al Bhed…"
Yuna erupted in laughter. "Gippal!" She shook her head. "You're too much…" She slowly closed her eyes.
"I know," he replied, grinning. A moment later, a yawn escaped his lips. "I think I'll take a nap, too…"
♥
Where am I now? …Baaj… Yuna found herself standing on a familiar stretch of stone. Just below her, she could make out the ruins of one of the hidden temples.
You didn't look here, you know… The voice caused her to whirl around in surprise. She saw Tidus staring back at her, body fading in and out of opaqueness. He glared coldly back at her. If you really loved me, you would've looked EVERYWHERE…
B-but… We did look here! I'm sure of it! She tried to reassure the figure. I tried my best! You can't be angry with me!
Hmph, can't I? The figure began to grin wickedly at her. No matter… Everyone will leave you eventually.
Why are you doing this to me? You can't be the real Tidus! He would never treat me this way! Yuna yelled back at him. She could feel tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
The figure began to laugh. And who exactly is 'the real Tidus'? That boy on the island? The figure shook his head. As you have failed me, so shall others fail you. With that, he disappeared completely the ground began to shake and crumble.
Yuna screamed and grabbed on to the remaining piece of stone. She could feel her fingers slipping slowly away until she felt herself fall. I'm sorry…
"I'm sorry…" Yuna whispered.
The sound of her voice was very low, but Gippal still made it out. He opened his eyes and noticed that Yuna was squeezing his hand tightly. He turned to face her and saw the tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry…" She repeated.
What have you got to be sorry for? A new voice questioned her.
I failed… to protect… Yuna forced out slowly.
But you protected me. The voice interrupted. You saved me.
Yuna looked around, but saw no one. I can't remember…
Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms go around her and draw her in close. A giant machina possessed by powerful hatred almost destroyed me. But you weren't afraid of it. You fought against it. You saved me. You saved my life.
But… What if you leave?
The voice seemed to laugh softly as the arms tightened their grasp.
"Shhh… I'm not going to leave. I'll stay right here." Gippal whispered against Yuna's ear. "Just relax… I'm right here…" He felt the brunette relax against him and begin to breathe more easily. He pressed a faint kiss to the side of her neck and felt her settle into his arms.
♥
"She's not listening to me anymore." Larxene stood up from her seat and crossed over to the other side of the room, heels echoing across the porcelain tile floor.
"You almost broke concentration for a moment there. What happened?" Another cloaked figure asked.
"She almost broke the connection on her own. Apparently, she is not dependent on her lost love as she was in the past." She crossed her arms. "I'll have to find another way." She narrowed her eyes for a moment. "I'll try again later."
♥
Yuna slowly opened her eyes. She could see sunlight streaming through the window and could feel a warm body pressed up against hers, with two strong arms around her.
"Morning," A husky voice whispered in her ear.
Yuna turned around to face Gippal. His blonde locks were completely tousled. Soft laughter escaped her lips. "Your hair…"
Gippal smirked back at her, green eye twinkling mischievously. "Yours isn't any better…" He leaned in close to her ear, breath tickling her porcelain skin. "What did you expect after last night?" He began to trail kisses along her neck, causing the brunette to moan softly. Gippal smiled and started to get up, but Yuna caught his arm. She looked up at him pleadingly. "Can't let you out of my sight for a minute, can I?" Gippal asked, grinning at her.
Yuna smiled and shook her head.
"C'mere, you…" Gippal wrapped his arms around her as his lips came closer to hers.
♥
Yuna's eyes shot open as she let out a little gasp.
"You okay?" Gippal asked. He was standing up near the table, Queen Bee plans in hand.
"Y-yeah! I'm okay. I just need a drink!" Yuna replied almost too cheerfully. She sprang from the bed and ran into the bathroom. After locking the door behind her, she quickly turned on the water and doused her face with cold water, trying to cool down her beet-red face. She looked up at her reflection and noticed her face returning to its normal color. It was just a dream, Yuna! Calm down! She dried off her face and calmly walked back into her room.
"I finished up the plans for your new guns," Gippal said. "I think you're really gonna like 'em. If you don't mind, I'll go over to the Synth Shop and build them. I should be back in a few hours."
"Okay," Yuna replied cheerily. "I'll be here."
"If you need anything, just call, okay?"
"Okay." Yuna replied. Once she was sure he was out the door, she let out a huge sigh of relief. "I think that's enough sleep for now."
♥
To keep herself occupied for a few hours, Yuna took a shower and then started to clean up the shop a little. She turned on Cid's radio and started to sing as she wiped down the cabinets and countertop.
"Time you've had more than your share of mine,
I'm a criminal with no crime,
Sing like a bird that is now released,
Like an angel with clip-on wings,
I've nothing that's etched in stone,
I'm a ready that's already gone.
There's a joke, yeah, there's a tease,
There's a cause I do believe,
But, let it run, now,
Let it run after me…"
She got so wrapped up in the music, she didn't even hear someone enter the shop.
"Yeah, I'm coming round,
This world loves me now,
Feel the rhythm of change,
Yeah, it's laying it down…"
"Heh… So there was a time the world didn't love you?"
Yuna quickly spun around and saw Gippal eying her with a bemused expression, one arm clutching a box. She quickly shut off the radio.
"Heh… It's one of my favorite songs…" Yuna explained awkwardly.
"I brought you something," Gippal said, putting the box on the counter.
Yuna carefully opened the box and gasped. She pulled out two golden guns. They were slightly larger than her Twin Bees, but surprisingly, much lighter. Miniature wings took the place of the old golden designs at the end of the old guns, and the words "Queen Bee" were etched in Al Bhed on each side. "They're beautiful, Gippal!" She looked up and smiled brightly at him. "Thank you so much!" She leaped over the counter and hugged him.
"So it's safe to assume you like them then?"
"I LOVE them!"
"Heh, good. I think I'll add a few more details to them and you'll be set for the tournament." Gippal said.
Yuna released him and nodded.
The Al Bhed packed up the guns and headed for the door. "I'll be back in a little while." He left for the Synth Shop once more.
In the meantime, Yuna was feeling exhausted from all the cleaning. She crossed the room and laid back on the black seating area, deciding she would close her eyes for just a few minutes.
♥
"It's been awhile," Larxene said nonchalantly. "Perhaps I'll try again now."
"What have you got in mind this time?" The dark figure near her asked.
"Something simple… a little dream twist." She smiled cruelly and sat back in her chair. She placed her fingers at her temples and shut her eyes tight."
♥
Yuna found herself in a cavern. She was being carried in Gippal's arms. For some reason, something didn't seem quite right to her. She looked at the Al Bhed closely. His hair was a complete mess. "Your hair…" Yuna began.
Gippal simply stared back at her icily. "Yours isn't any better." He roughly stood her on her feet and began to walk ahead. "What did you expect after last night?" He continued to walk through the cavern with Yuna nearly at a jog to keep pace with him. It was hard to see in the dimly lit cave, and Yuna found herself almost slipping off the edge of a ledge. Luckily, a hand grabbed her and pulled her back to safety roughly. "Can't let you out of my sight for a minute, can I?" Gippal continued to drag her through the cavern, until they finally saw light up ahead. Once they reached the exit, Yuna could see Rikku standing ahead near a tree. Her angry expression startled Yuna so that she dragged her feet for a moment, causing Gippal to yank her arm forward. "C'mere, you…" He thrust her forward where Rikku grabbed her hand and continued to lead her.
"They think you're just a helpless little girl. They think they have to take care of you, even though they don't want to."
"It seems that way, doesn't it…"
"I think it's because they're jealous. You're much more powerful than both of them combined. You shouldn't rely on them. You don't need them…"
"I don't need them…"
"Don't let them try to baby you anymore. You must prove it to them."
"I will…"
"I will…" Yuna opened her eyes and sat up. I don't need them. I don't need anyone. It's easier on my own.
A moment later, Rikku walked in. "Whew! What a day! I finished my blades and then I went to six stores trying to find the right outfit, but I did it!" Rikku chirped. "And I found something that would be absolutely, 100-percent perfection for you, Yunie! C'mon, I'll show it to you!" She grabbed her cousin's arm, but Yuna slipped out of her grasp.
"That's okay, I was going to go by myself anyway." She replied evenly.
"B-but, I thought I was gonna help you fi-"
"Really, it's okay, Rikku," Yuna interrupted. "Besides, you must be starving. You should eat something."
"O-okay, Yunie," Rikku replied, trying to hide her surprise and disappointment.
"See ya," Yuna replied as she waltzed out the door. Rikku just looked on, stunned.
Gippal came back a few minutes later. "Hey, Rikku. Did Yuna leave? I was gonna give her her guns."
"Yeah, she went shopping… WITHOUT ME!" Rikku cried, crossing her arms.
"So what? You went shopping without her." Gippal reminded her.
"Yeah, but this is different," Rikku protested. "She's… acting weird for some reason…"
Gippal ruffled her hair. "Aww, I think you're just being weird." He climbed the stairs up to his room.
"I hope you're right…" Rikku mumbled softly.
To be continued…
Ooo ooh, ooo ooo ooooh, she's got a new attitude! XD And it's only going to get worse… But you'll find out more about that in the next chapter… By the way, the song lyrics are from Collective Soul's new album, Youth, and it's got a bunch of great songs on it, so go check it out! Special thanks to Angry Angel (yay, all your compliments make me so uber happy I could explode), Cali Cutie (sankyou, chica, I heart you so bad), Smiley-chan (yup, you guessed it, and yay, another person who likes S x S), and HurricaneGurl41 (yay, I'm glad you liked it enough to read all the chapters at once! Lol, I did it because it was an unusual couple hehe XD). Thanks for reading, please review! X3
