A/N: Ack! I haven't updated in forever. So, SO sorry! Thanks for all the reviews guys. And sorry for Gippal's sudden softness, but he just cares for Rikku too much to act tough about something like that.

-nudge-

Mushroom Rock Road, Early Dawn

"Giippaaaalll…can we please rest?" Rikku whined helplessly, her body slouched and arms swinging lazily beside her, like she couldn't feel them. Big bags were underneath her eyes, and every ten seconds she'd let out a wide yawn like a hippopotamus.

In front of her walked Gippal, whose strides were long and quick, like he was in a hurry. Which, in this case he was. The sun had slowly started to rise, and the top of it was peeking over the horizon. The normally dark red rocks of the Mushroom Rock Road were now tinged a pinky orange from the sunrise. The sky was still dark, but cloudless. The crescent moon was just starting to fade away, so everything was still hidden in shadows in places.

"GIPPAL!" Rikku finally cried, stopping, standing straight, and stamping her foot. "I. NEED. SLEEP."

She watched him turn around with his brow furrowed in an annoyed sort of way, but she didn't flinch. She stood there, her hands on her hips and a frown set on her face.

"I'm tired beyond belief. I haven't had a good sleep in two nights! I mean, last night I didn't sleep at all, and before that I had to lay on the stone ground on a…"

Rikku suddenly felt herself choked up. She let out a cough to straighten her voice. Why did that happen? It's not like she had been living in the Faction for long…

When Rikku looked back up she saw Gippal standing in front of her. "What?" She snapped, eyes sparking.

"We can't rest." He said simply, and Rikku knew that tone in his voice—he wasn't about to give up either.

"But Gippal, if I don't sleep, we won't get far anyway!"

"If you sleep, you'll never wake up. We need to get as far away from the Moonflow as possible."

"Why?!"

"Because he's there!" Gippal hissed, and Rikku noticed that familiar anger in his eye. She felt her body begging to cower, but she wouldn't let it.

"They're gonna follow us no matter where we are, Gippal! Running away from your problems isn't going to do a thing!"

"Well dealing with them didn't do me much good either, did it?!" Gippal roared. Rikku continued to stand there, her mouth thin and set. She watched him breath heavily, run a hand through his hair, and then glance at her again.

"So you don't know what they want from you?"

"I was hoping you would tell me."

It looked like Gippal was trying to hide a smirk, but the next thing she knew, he had grabbed her arm.

"Do you really wanna sleep that bad?"

"YES." Rikku managed, finally pleased he understood what she had wanted.

Then she saw a small grin creep up onto his face. She glanced down to see his hand still gripping her arm.

"Gippal?" She asked in a quiet sort of voice. "What're you gonna d—"

But before she could finish, Gippal had swung his other arm on her waist, and moved the other to her waist as well. He lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder.

"GIPPAL!" She shrieked, her voice ringing off of the rocks around them. "GIPPAL WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!"

He just smiled. "If you wanna sleep that bad, I'll give you a piggy-back ride."

Rikku couldn't help but let out a small smile. She knew exactly what he was referring to.

"Gippal! I can't run as fast as you!"

The young boy at ten years of age whirled around to see a small Rikku plodding along behind him. Her forehead was sweaty and her eyes were set in a concentrated sort of way.

"Rikku, if you don't hurry, that stupid sand worm'll catch us!"

"I-I can't help it." She let out a small sob and stopped walking. She sniffled and rubbed at her eyes with her tiny fists. Gippal noticed her legs were trembling from the effort to run. He ran over to her.

"You sure you can't run?" She nodded sadly, letting out another hiccup.

"Want a piggy-back ride?" He finally asked, cringing at the thought. Rikku stopped crying and looked up, a small smile tugging on her lips.

"Really?"

He shrugged as if it were nothing, but really his cheeks were burning. "Well, since you can't run, and no offense, but I don't want to be eaten by a sand worm."

Rikku let out a small giggle and ran behind Gippal. She threw her arms around his neck, and lifted her body up so he could hold onto her legs.

"Giddyup, Pony!" She cried, giggling. Gippal couldn't help but roll his eyes. Thank goodness Rikku couldn't see.

"Hold on tight, Cid's Girl—I probably run faster than you're used to."

And with that, Gippal burst off towards Home, causing Rikku to grip around his neck even tighter, letting out a shriek of delight as the wind rushed through her hair...

Rikku was in that same position now, clinging on tightly to Gippal. He wasn't running, but he was going at a pretty fast pace.

"Mind if I…sleep?" Rikku asked drowsily, her eyelids fluttering as Gippal continued to walk, holding onto her legs.

"Nope." Was all he managed. Rikku gave a small smile and rested her head on his shoulder, not really realizing what she was doing. "Thank you…Gippal."

Gippal soon heard Rikku emitting some snores. He hoped her arms wouldn't lose their grip, or she'd go toppling over.

He couldn't help but feel butterflies deep down in his stomach. He was surprised Rikku had so willingly agreed to a ride. Usually she probably would have made a fuss and called him a pervert or something along those lines…

He shrugged it off and continued to walk, discovering just how heavy Rikku was. "Yevon, what does she eat?" He muttered through his teeth, slowing down a bit.

Where could he go? Rikku was right…though he hated to admit it, they would probably follow them wherever they went. After all, Saleed said he had granted them the power to see things they normally couldn't. In other words, them.

He wondered just how many people were working for him. They could be in disguise, anywhere they went. Then, like always, his mind wandered off to something else. That something else was how Gippal had suddenly poured out the whole story he'd been hiding from her for three years. He shook his head, a bit disgusted with himself. He had made a promise…he would never tell Rikku the real reasons. He thought she might not have been able to handle it. Clearly, she was tougher than he thought.

Or maybe she just didn't really understand the danger.

Yea, that made more sense.

"Excuse me." Gippal stopped walking and turned his head to the left, a bit shocked someone would be up at this time.

"What?" He snapped, looking at the Yevon Priestess. What a loser. True, he should be nicer, now that Yevon was really gone. But still, he couldn't help but hate them for what their stupid leaders had done to the Al Bhed before.

Gippal quickly took in her appearance—long brown hair done up in a bun, with a few bangs in front of her hazel eyes. She had on that stupid oval hat thing all those Yevon people wore, and she wore the long, wide-sleeved robe with designs sewed in all over it. This one was different colors than normal though. Her robes were red and gold with white sleeves and hems.

"May I ask where you're going?" She asked in a timid voice.

"Looks like you just did." Gippal grunted, internally cursing himself for deciding to carry Rikku the Sumo Wrestler.

She gave him a small smile. "Well, where are you going?"

She could be a spy. Were his first thoughts. Gippal shrugged.

"Up north?Down south? Who knows, who cares?" He asked with a sort of hiss, hoping she got the hint and left.

But she didn't.

"You are Gippal, the Machine Faction Leader, correct?"

He paused, hearing the gears in his brain whirr and click. "Yes." He answered slowly, realizing he couldn't really hide it. After all, he was kind of famous.

She quickly pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket, and Gippal saw it had been folded many times and a opened a number of times as well. How he could see this, even he didn't know. Her eyes skimmed the paper, and her lips muttered soundless words.

There was a moment of awkward silence, in which Gippal shifted Rikku so she didn't weigh so much.

"Oh! Sorry. I was just sent to…to give you this." She thrust the paper into Gippal's face, waiting for him to take it in his hands.

"Err—I'm kinda held up here." He said through clenched teeth, nodding at the hands gripping Rikku's legs. "Wanna just read it to me?"

She seemed kind of nervous…did Gippal really look that evil? Well, she was probably a bit creeped out. After all, she probably wasn't expecting him to be carrying a girl that seemed dead on his back. She most likely thought he was a killer.

"Oh—oh okay." She coughed and flattened the letter nervously. Gippal rolled his eyes. Seriously, could she get any slower?

"I, Baralai, Praetor of New Yevon, send Athilda (that's me), to Gippal, Leader of the Machine Faction on important business.

I ask him to come to Bevelle A.S.A.P for an important discussion. Many faithful people to the Yevon religion have been disappearing lately. I have also heard news of random Spiran's of no important purpose being taken, as well as a number of Al Bhed.

Sadly, a number of these are from the Machine Faction.

Now, I do not know why Gippal hasn't contacted Bevelle yet, so I am sending this note to make sure of his safety at the present time, and his safety for the trip to Bevelle. Sadly, I cannot send any transportation means due to the dangers of sabotage, so I am sending my faithful guide and assistant to lead Gippal. Please be here in four days time for a meeting of the missing peoples.

I must report that, sadly, an important person had also been taken hostage by these mysterious people. Lady Yuna. Do not tell anyone of this, even someone close to you that you think you may be able to trust. I am sorry for this abrupt news, but I need Gippal immediately.

Signed, Baralai, Praetor of New Yevon."

There was a silence. Athilda coughed. Gippal stared at her, open mouthed and frozen.

"Mr. Gippal, Sir?"

He snapped out of his state of shock at being addressed in such a polite way. He noticed his neck was starting to fall asleep.

"Huh?"

"Did you get all that?"

"Yes, yes." He gulped. "Did he say…Lady Yuna was taken hostage?"

"Yes. He had just gotten the news as writing the letter to you. No one knows who is doing this, but they're like shadows if they can take Lady Yuna. After all, she was still in Bevelle due to meetings and press conferences. Which means, in other words, she was still heavily guarded."

She hesitated. "Did you know about the Al Bhed?"

He felt his stomach lurch in uncomfortable-ness. No, no he hadn't. But if he said that, he would seem like an incompetent leader.

In fact, he did notice that a few hadn't been showing up lately…

"Yea, I did. But my COMmunicator wasn't working." He lied. She just nodded.

"So…so you're supposed to take us to Bevelle?"

She nodded again, but then stopped. "Us?"

"Well, if you haven't noticed, I've got a great big gorilla on my back."

Athilda giggled. "I won't ask any questions, Sir."

The two started to walk down Mushroom Rock Road, discussing the disappearance's.

"Yes, even my sister was taken, and I don't understand why." Athilda said, a bit choked up. "After all, she wasn't important in any way…"

Gippal was silent, his brow furrowed. He had a pretty good idea who was leading this kidnapped. But why? How? And…augh, there was just too much going on in his life right now.

"Why does Baralai need me? I'm not a great leader or anything."

I'm also still a kid. He thought dully. She just shrugged. "I've no idea what goes on in Praetor Baralai's head."

The two soon reached the end of the bumpy Mushroom Rock Road, and found themselves already nearing Mi'hen Highroad.

"Oh no!" Athilda said, clapping her hands to her mouth in shock. Gippal stopped walking and looked down at her.

"What?"

"Praetor Baralai told me not to forget this!" She growled in her throat, muttering angered words to herself. Gippal coughed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just realized the way he wanted me to go through was the Moonflow."

Gippal immediately grew suspicious again. "Why?" He snapped.

"Because he said it would be the quickest way from Djose. But you weren't at Djose, I had to come searching for you for a day, and—OH, he's going to have my head!" Athilda seemed very nervous, muttering and wringing her hands. Gippal managed to free a hand from Rikku's leg and pat her on the shoulder.

"It's all right. We can just catch a ship in Luca, right?"

Her heavy breathing started to return back to normal. "Yes…yes, a boat. Oh, but they don't reach Bevelle! The only one close to Bevelle goes back to the Moonflow…"

Gippal let out a sigh. He would never understand the system's of the boats in Spira. He did not want to risk going to the Moonflow.

"Oh! But if we go to the Moonflow, we can get to Bevelle by going throw Macalania Woods!"

"Isn't it dead?" Gippal asked bluntly.

"No, no, it's dying. There's a difference!" She sighed."So, do you want to take the boat, or swim?"

Gippal bit his lip. "I don't like going to the Moonflow." He was still suspicious of Athilda. After all, anyone could have written a note pretending to be Baralai.

"Mr. Gippal?"

He shook his head, and knew the answer before his mouth unwillingly said it. "I guess we'll take the boat. But we're getting through the Moonflow in less then five minutes."

He said it in such a forceful tone, Athilda nodded hurriedly. "O-Of course."

"And if we meet the director of the boat system, I'm threatening him to change it."

Athilda just chuckled. "Well, the boat goes to where the Shoopuf's usually swim from, so we should be all right."

He had no idea what she meant, but he stayed silent.

The two continued to walk, until Gippal let out a groan just outside of the Mi'hen Highroad. He felt his body slide down to the ground into a kneeling position. He slowly let go of Rikku and let her slide onto the grass.

"I need to rest." He said quietly, feeling his legs collapse and his body go into a kind of laying down position.

"But, Sir…"

Gippal just waved a hand at her. "I've been carrying a girl through Mushroom Rock Road, and haven't slept in two days. I've got a lot on my mind. Just a half hour, okay?"

Athilda seemed to be hesitating. "Fine. I'll keep watch." Gippal saw her sit down on the grass, and suddenly a question that had been bothering him popped out while he was in falling asleep.

"How come Baralai told you to lead us? I mean…you're just a girl, in a New Yevon robe. I'm sure me and Rikku, can…take care of ourselves…" He let out a yawn.

"Why do you have to come?"

Athilda just let out a small smile. "Praetor Baralai expects you to run into some things that…that only I can handle." She answered, avoiding the question.

Gippal just shrugged, now realizing just how tired he'd been. "Okay…okay…whatever…"

And soon he was snoring along with Rikku, the two teens lying peacefully underneath an oak tree, with a humble, yet curious woman watching over them.

A/N: Tada! Yes, yes, another new character. But she serves purpose, I promise! Err…at least…I think she does. I really don't know. I just kinda stuck her in here. Hope you liked it, it's just another filler, really. Don't worry, more Gippal and Rikku fluffyness on the way!