A/N: Well, another chapter! I'm starting to work on a Soul Calibur story, so chapters may be far and few at a time. Sorry!

Outside of Djose Temple, Dusk

"I cannot believe him!" Rikku huffed, striding into her bedroom and falling on the lumpy bed. "I CANNOT BELIEVE HIM!" She cried louder, slamming her fist into the pillow. "That jerk! That loser! That-that-"

Rikku fell silent, her eyes gazing down at the bed. He had laid in this bed last night. How many OTHERS had he laid in, beside girls she never knew existed? Maybe he had been seeing one when they were dating…maybe that's why he broke up with her…

"That git!" She yelled, jumping off the bed as if it carried a disease. "I'm—I'm—appalled!"

Rikku sat down on the cold stone floor instead, her eyes flaring. Then she changed her mind and began pacing the room, digging her fist into her open palm continuously.

"Okay, so maybe I shouldn't have dug in his desk." She thought out loud, trying to sort this whole mess out. "But WHY would he keep a million pictures of OTHER girls in his desk? Okay, not a million, but a lot more than ones of me! I'm only in there once-and I look hideous!"

She stopped pacing and looked up at her roof. "I'm not jealous…I can't be…I mean, he's not my property, he never was! I just feel—feel—abandoned. And alone. Or some other junk like that!" She cried, pulling at her hair in frustration. "And he-he YELLS at me instead! He totally spazzes! I'M the one who had the right to spaz!"

Why? Because he actually had a life and dated other people while you sat at home moping over ONE loss? Him?

"That's not the point." Rikku growled, sitting on the stone floor once more with a light 'thunk'. "I just thought he might have been a bit more…remorseful. I didn't know at first chance he'd go on dates with all sorts of women-I mean, he was all over Spira with them for Pete's Sake!" Images of the photos flashed through her memory. She remembered opening the drawer, feeling giddy. But then her heart sinking as she saw photo after photo of Nhadala. Then all these other girls that were all either too fat, or too short, too tall, too large of noses…and then one of her, probably only for comical relief when he was feeling stressed or something dumb like that. After all, she did look rather dumb in that picture.

"But he still had NO RIGHT to freak out on me!" Rikku whined, trying to make herself feel better. "Even though…he did tell me to stay out of his desk…"

Rikku sighed and dug her face into her hands, feeling tears of frustration and sadness leaking out. "Why didn't he just tell me he's not interested, instead of letting me have false hope? WHY did he let me suffer, even though he has no intention of getting back with me? He's more interested in those mutants…"

Rikku shuddered, knowing she usually never judged someone on the way they look. In fact, those ladies were probably all nice and polite-more so than Rikku, anyway.

She remembered his blazing eye, and the anger, confusion, and frustration that leaked out with every word from Gippal.

"I don't care about your apologies…just get out of here…"

His voice haunted her for the next 10 minutes or so, making Rikku feel mixed emotions. Anger, for him freaking out at her in such a ferocious way, jealousy, because he kept more pictures of random girls in his desk than Rikku, guilt, because she pried into his privacy, annoyance at herself, at him, and at Wynter, (for some random reason), and fear that Sunny and his posse would take her at some point at her stay here. After all, they knew she was here.

With a shudder she stood up, realizing silent tears were still falling down her face. She could not get over Gippal's reaction. It made her feel small and worthless just thinking about it.

"Fine…" She sniffed out, tugging at her scarf so it tightened. "Fine. He doesn't want me to stay? FINE. I'll GO. I'll get out of here." She walked stiffly to her bedroom door and swung it open. She strode out and into the main area. Al Bhed were milling about, whispering, but as soon as Rikku entered they stopped and watched her.

Rikku felt annoyance and embarrassment in the pit of her stomach. Ever had that feeling, when you come in late and everyone's watching you? Well, that's what Rikku was feeling, and she hated it.

"What?" She snapped. "Are your lives so dull you have to listen in on mine for enjoyment?" She spat out the last word in such a spiteful way, that everyone immediately went back to what they were doing before.

"Jerks." She muttered, slamming the double doors open from the temple, nearly wiping them off of their hinges.

"Are you happy, Gippal?!" She shrieked into the wind as she started to walk faster away from Djose Temple. "Are you happy that I'm getting out of here?! Well you better be, because I'm sick of you being so UNHAPPY!" It didn't make any sense, but at the time, it seemed to. With a last sniffle, Rikku crossed the bridge that led away from what she had thought would lead to happy times.

…………

Gippal kicked at the loose dirt by the Moonflow, the memory of Rikku nearly drowning in the water flashing through his mind. He couldn't help it-no matter the amount of a foul mood he was in, past moments with Rikku always made him smile-after all, how could it not?

"Wait…I'm here because I'm mad at her." With a sigh he kicked at a nearby tree with all of his strength, causing the branches to tremble and a number of leaves to tumble to the ground. He knew what she would be thinking. She'd be feeling unwanted, or…miniscule or something, just because he had more pictures of Nhadala and girls she didn't know then pictures of her. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair again.

"She just doesn't get it." He muttered, over and over until he believed that he was positively right and she was wrong. Anger flared deep in the pit of his stomach again, and he growled deep in his throat. Gippal needed something to throttle, but all that was there was the puny tree he would probably kill if he unleashed his pent up anger.

But it wasn't just because of Rikku digging through his desk and disobeying him: in fact, that was just what caused all the emotions that had been locked inside of him to blow up. Sadness, jealousy, loneliness, stress, confusion, and disappointment had been bothering him for quite some time…there were too many for even him to understand.

Gippal was never one to dwell on things for too long, due to something else always popping up and getting in the way. So soon his mind drifted back to the three that had probably caused lots of the tension between himself and Rikku in the first place: Sunny, Lienn and Bilak. He was surprised he could even remember their names. After all, he wasn't the one who had been friends with them. In fact, if he saw even one of them right now he'd probably punch them so hard and beat them up so bad that they wouldn't be able to get out of bed for—

"Hello, Al Bhed."

Gippal froze. His boot stopped digging into the dirt, and his fidgeting had subsided. He continued to stare out at the water, his one eye very round—too round, considering he never usually showed fear or surprise by widening his eyes. Beads of sweat started to gather at his neck. Oh no, oh no, not him again…Gippal had sworn he was gone…

A dark chuckle caused his frantic thoughts to stop. "Thought I was gone, didn't you?"

Gippal didn't answer. There were the sounds of footsteps getting closer.

"Answer me!" The hoarse voice whispered menacingly into his ear. Gippal cringed, but forced his throat to emit a noise.

"Yegr."

He felt red creeping into his cheeks as the man chuckled. "Still a helpless, scared little boy, aren't you Gippal?"

Gippal felt his body trembling from anger, (and though he didn't want to admit it, fear).

"Yes. I did." He finally answered, his voice dry and a bit too squeaky for his liking. The man made no move to answer only took a few more steps around to the other side of Gippal.

Now, this was one thing that bugged Gippal. When the person wouldn't even confront him; they'd just stand behind him whispering into his ear like they were the brave ones and Gippal was the chicken. Huh. Gippal wasn't a chicken: he just liked to think if he didn't look, the man wouldn't be there-it was all a figment of Gippal's imagination. It was from all the stress-serious plans for a holiday started to formulate in his mind.

"DANGIT boy! When will you learn to listen?! When you're an inch from death?!" Gippal cringed, but then heard him chuckle again.

"Oh yes…you've already been in that situation, if I do recall correctly. And you seemed to listen very well then." Gippal stayed silent, closing his eye and choosing that the man didn't exist-he was gone: dead. Gippal had made sure of that a number of years ago.

"You're dead." He finally stated, hoping he sounded braver than he really felt. "You're dead." He repeated, a hint of anger leaking out in his tone. He suddenly felt a cold hand grip his shoulder, and than whirl his body around.

Unwillingly his eye flew open, incase the man decided to strike him or shoot him, or something along those lines. But instead, he just saw the man that had haunted him for so long just standing there, a look of pure frustration on his deadened face.

There he was, around 6'2", and that evil glint in his beetle black, empty eyes. His face was almost a dark black color, but his bumpy, pimply pink lips were visible and garishly sticking out of his dark skin. His hands still had the long slender fingers-though those too, were near black. He wore on the dark green cloak that had hidden him from the authorities for so many years, and the hood was over his head so the only thing Gippal could spot was the evil, now triumphant expression on his face.

With detested thoughts whirling in his mind, Gippal saw the man lean in closer, his rank breath making its way into Gippal's lungs. He forced himself not to choke and die, but to stand straight and try not to flinch.

The man-or thing, gave a smile, his yellow, decaying teeth grossing Gippal out beyond belief.

"As you can see, I lived. Or, I am alive, if you prefer to say it that way. Your clever little plan wasn't enough to get me off of your back."

"You haven't even touched me for the past 3 years. You're as much as a chicken as anybody else." Gippal growled, eye flaring.

"No, no, no. You see, I had to get myself cleaned up. Your little bombing accident nearly destroyed me."

Gippal stayed silent, knowing that the man knew Gippal had wanted to destroy him. It had been no accident.

The man smiled again and stood up straight this time, finally giving Gippal the chance to breath.

"I guess I might as well monologue now." He let out a harsh laugh, his empty eyes flashing. Gippal shuddered. "As I was saying, I had to get myself to my former glory. Alas, they could not fix the skin you have oh-so-kindly laid upon my body."

As Gippal looked closer, he could see that his flesh was almost burnt…sudden memories of a fire flashed through his mind, and he clamped his hands around his nose to stop the smell of burning flesh.

The man only grinned. "Yes…you can smell it, can you not?" He waved an almost scaly hand in front of him. "And it's all thanks to you, Al Bhed Boy."

"And so, I forced myself to crawl across Spira, barely alive. I lived off the animals of forests, mountains, and deserts. Of course, those Chocobo's in the Calm Lands sufficed as well."

Gippal forced the look of horror that was dawning on his face to turn into one of mild surprise. "You ate the Chocobo's?" He suddenly wondered what Rikku would think if she heard this, and he knew she would burst into angry tears.

"Don't interrupt me!" The man hissed in such a cold manner, that Gippal immediately shut his mouth. A vicious grin crept onto the man's face. "Still obeying…good, good."

He sighed and started again. "Finally I made it here, to the pass between the Moonflow and Djose Temple. Now, I knew that if I did not get help, I would soon die-and you wouldn't want that, would you? So I went to the Bandit's-they knew me, they recognized me for the greatness that I am. So they fixed me up as best as they could-and for that, I rewarded them."

"With what? Death?" Gippal finally spat out. A scaly, smelly finger waggled in his face.

"No, no, Gippal. With the gift of my sight. They now have me watching them constantly, making sure they know when danger is headed their way, and they can escape, or that they know when their target is going to be there. I can see things others cannot."

"Have you ever disguised your voice?" Gippal suddenly blurted out, thinking about that day in Luca when Rikku had said Cid had left a present. Now, he knew Cid wouldn't send bloodthirsty Al Bhed after his daughter…

"That is none of your business!" He hissed, eyes flaring with anger. Gippal felt small and insignificant once more. "But what is of your business Gippal, is that I have come back—back to triumph. You thought I was gone, destroyed. But I will never be destroyed-not until I win."

"You'll never win." Gippal finally snarled, anger rising in his bloodstream. "You didn't last time, and you won't this time. I'LL make sure of that."

In one swift motion the man swooped down on Gippal, and one slimy hand gripped at his shoulder. Gippal felt the blood stop passing through, and he swore that the bones were bending. He knew what was going to happen-his shoulder would break. He let out a grunt of pain and pushed the hand off of his shoulder-but he got a surprising reaction.

As soon as his hand touched the burned flesh of the older man, he crumpled to the ground, feeling the most…unbearable pain he had ever felt. His bit his lip and blinked rapidly, forcing the tears that were threatening to fall to stay in. He gripped at his hand, and when he looked down, saw that it was red and raw, and smoke was rising. Gippal let out a gasp of horror.

"Yes, Gippal. It is true-you did the part of destroying me—well, trying. And because of this, you cannot touch the flesh you tried to burn—MY flesh. For this, I have the much, much greater advantage then you have."

Gippal cringed as the hand reached out for his face. He scrambled up, still clutching his own burning hand.

"You…can't kill…me." He finally let out, his voice raspy, his lungs struggling for air. The hand stopped.

"And why not?"

"I don't have…what –what you…need…"

The man seemed to be thinking as he took two steps closer to Gippal. "You are right—sadly. But remember, the thing I want will never be far from you."

Gippal let out a small chuckle, his mind working furiously. "How would you know if it's with me? It could be anywhere-you haven't seen it for three years."

"But it is all I have been thinking about as I traveled, hanging onto life!" He cried, his hand curling into a fist. Gippal flinched. "It has been in my mind every minute, no, every second of my life!" He breathed deeply, his eyes wide with madness.

"And I will not stop until I get it!" He shrieked, a look of what seemed like pure maniacal triumph.

"Never forget the name of Saleed—because I know where you are all the time, and I know what you are doing all the time. Don't forget it, Al Bhed Boy."

And with that, the menacing man disappeared in a flash of light.

An eerie silence overtook the path, as Gippal slid to the base of the tree, his whole body trembling. His hand still burned, and he was still biting his lip to hold back the pain. But he couldn't—not anymore.

With a sob, he knew how much danger he was in…he knew there was no stopping Saleed now…

Gippal let out another sob, burying his face in his knees. He wasn't normally one to cry, but the man that had made his life a living hell three years ago had returned, and he was haunting Gippal.

He let the tears that had been in his eyes pour out, and he held the aching hand close to his chest as he cried. He sobbed for who knows how long, but it felt like somewhat of an achievement to finally let out all the pent up emotions in a way other than screaming and making a scene.

Gippal needed to get out-he didn't know how, he didn't know where, but he couldn't stay at Djose. Knowing Saleed, he was most likely staying with the bandits, which was dangerously close to Djose Temple.

Standing up shakily, Gippal wiped at his eyes, hoping they weren't too red and puffy. No matter his situation, he couldn't just show up bawling his eyes out. With a heavy sigh, Gippal started to walk slowly back to the Temple. He needed to get out.

And he needed to take Rikku with him.

………

"Suttin!" Gippal cried, slamming the doors open. "Suttin!" He shouted again, his voice hurried. Instead of running into his closest friend at the Temple, he felt something small run into his chest. He looked down to see Wynter, whose face was as red as a tomato.

"Oh-sorry-Gippal—er-sir…"

Gippal just waved her away with his hand, too preoccupied to see the disappointed look on his face. "Where's Suttin?" He asked a nearby Al Bhed.

"I-I don't k-know." He stuttered, looking at him fearfully. Gippal sighed heavily, wondering why everyone suddenly seemed afraid of him. "W-Why?" The man asked.

"I need him to tell me where Rikku is."

"She left." A voice piped up to Gippal's left. He whirled around to see Wynter standing there, her arms crossed and a look something like jealousy on her face.

"She—left?" He asked weakly, feeling like his body was suddenly an empty shell.

"Yes." Wynter said smugly. "She ran out of here, screaming out stuff in Al Bhed."

Gippal grabbed her shoulders, and his eye bore down on her. "Where did she go?" He asked somewhat menacingly.

"Sh-Sh-I don't know." Wynter stuttered, taking a step back with a frightened look on her face. "I don't know." She repeated, eyes wide.

Gippal ran a trembling hand through his hair. That stupid girl! Didn't she even realize the danger she had put herself in?!

"You there!" He said, pointing at the stuttering boy that had been sneaking away.

"Y-Yes?"

"Get someone to take my place."

"W-W-Who?!"

"Suttin." He said without hesitation, walking over to the closet that had been inlaid in the staircase. He grabbed a flashlight and started to wrap a bandage around his burning hand.

"W-Why?"

"I need to go find Rikku."

"Yessir." Then he heard the young man running off. As he slammed the closet door shut, he turned around to see Wynter.

"What?" He snapped.

"She was angry." Wynter said quietly.

"Well so was I, so am I, I should say. Life's not fair, is it?" He snarled, striding past her.

"It's dangerous out there!" Wynter cried, running behind him.

"You don't think I know that?" Gippal growled. "That's why I need to go get Rikku! I need to get her out of danger!" He turned around and reached the door, and was about to rip it open when Wynter called,

"There's another reason, isn't there?"

Gippal hesitated. Yes, yes, there were always more reasons, but he wasn't about to tell a girl he barely knew what they were.

With no reply, he opened the door and strode out into the darkening area, praying to Yevon, (which he didn't often do), that Rikku was still alive…and still had her wits about her. Because he knew she would need them a lot, if not more, than Gippal did tonight…and perhaps the rest of her life.

A/N: Took me long enough, eh? I realize this story isn't much compared to lots of other Rikku x Gippal fics, but…yea. O-O Thanks for reading, and reviews would be vunderful!