Disclaimer: FFX, FFX-2 – neither of them belong to me, I'm just a poor, starving fan : )
A/N: Another week of holiday rolls by and another chapter appears from nowhere. Actually, this is the first chapter I've written in advance of my posting day so … YAY : ) Also, this is the chapter when the plot starts to creep in amongst all the Rikku-Gippal fluffiness so I hope you like it!
196 reviews … what can I say? I've never had such an overwhelming response to any of my stories before and seeing as this is only my second fanfic and my first FFX-2 one, I'm doubly happy.
So, this chapter is dedicated to everyone who has reviewed so far as a huge THANKYOU!! Long may you continue to read and I hope you enjoy the chappie!
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Rikku's Story
By: JoeyStar
Timeframe: Set a month or so after the 'happy' ending of FFX-2
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Chapter 7
Djose Temple, when we arrived, looked much the same as ever. Even though the temple no longer housed an Aeon, the circling rocks and flickering threads of lightning was proof enough that Ixion had once dwelled beneath the surface.
There were knots of Al Bhed grouped around the entrance and the usual line of people outside the registration building. I guessed that they were probably there for the same reason as Yunie, Paine and I had been all those months ago, back when for some unknown reason, we had actually volunteered to work for Gippal.
Damn – I had promised myself that I wasn't going to think about him! Determined to stick to my decision, I dropped back until I was walking alongside Lreav. He glanced up at me and smiled in that endearingly shy way. I found myself smiling back.
"Glad to be back home?"
"I don't think of it as home exactly," Lreav confessed, looking up at the impressive temple thoughtfully. "That will always be Bikanel Island. Even if the actual structure isn't there anymore."
"Yeah," I agreed, thoughts of Home making my expression downcast.
Lreav gave me a considering look. "You were there, weren't you? When Home was destroyed I mean?"
I nodded, images of the destruction flashing through my mind. That day had been one of the worst in my life so far. It had seen the ultimate destruction of my home, it had seen all my hopes of saving Yuna dashed and it had also been the day that Tidus had found out the secret we had all assumed he knew. I don't think I will ever forget the look in his eyes when he finally learned the truth. It was like his heart had been shattered into a million tiny pieces, you know? More innocent illusions than mine had been crushed that day.
"I can't imagine what it must have been like."
"No – you can't," I agreed, remembering my fear upon finding the Summoner's Sanctum in ruins and Yuna missing.
"I'm sorry Lady Rikku. I didn't mean to conjure up any bad memories for you."
I smiled briefly at his concern and shook my head. "It's okay. I've seen worse things than that in my time." I prayed that he wouldn't laugh at the fact that 'my time' had only been seventeen years. After all, the statement was perfectly true.
He didn't laugh. "Of course!" he exclaimed, staring at me with admiration in his eyes. "After all, you defeated Sin!"
Now, I don't go around waiting for people to notice that I helped to save Spira for ultimate destruction, but I have to admit that it was nice to finally have someone realise what a part I had played. The way most citizens of Spira tell it, the beautiful, talented, all-powerful Lady Yuna, single-handedly defeated Sin. When any of the rest of us are remembered at all, we're always my cousin's sidekicks – as if we didn't actually contribute to the battles in any way. Lulu and Wakka are too busy raising a family to care, I can never tell what Kimahri's thinking and Auron's opinion of the matter is moot but to be honest, sometimes I find it really annoying. I'm not looking for glory, just a bit of recognition, you know? So when Lreav fixed me with such a wondrous look, I swelled with pride and fought the urge to hug him.
"Gippal."
Our entrance had finally been noticed and I looked up from my conversation with Lreav to see that two Al Bhed had broken away from their work and were approaching Gippal.
"Fa ryt hud aqbaldat oui pylg cu cuuh, cen. Fryd yna oui tuehk rana?" (We had not expected you back so soon, sir. What are you doing here?)
"Cusadrehk'c lusa ib," (Something's come up) Gippal replied succinctly. "E haat du lymm y saadehk. Lyh oui vadlr Avrin yht Treilad?" (I need to call a meeting. Can you fetch Avrin and Treilad?)
"Uv luinca," (Of course) The younger of the two bowed his head and then trotted off towards the temple, disappearing amidst its shadow. That left the second Al Bhed who, when she pulled off her mask, I realised was a woman.
"Lralgehk ib uh ic?" (Checking up on us?) she asked Gippal with a raised eyebrow. He grinned back at her and shook his head.
"Hyr, E zicd druikrd E't pnehk oui y meddma cinbneca." (Nah, I just thought I'd bring you a little surprise) At this, Gippal turned to us. I expected him to speak to me and opened my mouth to cut him off but instead, he ushered Lreav forward.
"Lreav!" the woman exclaimed upon seeing him. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. I shifted uncomfortably, feeling like a voyeur and wondering who this extremely attractive, dark-haired Al Bhed woman was.
When Lreav finally freed himself from the woman's embrace, he held her at arm's length, beaming. "You look wonderful."
"You look awful," the woman retorted, a grin softening her words. "But where have you been?The last I heard was that you were working in Djose Temple. So I came here to see you and … you weren't here!"
"Well the last I heard you were in Luca," Lreav replied jokingly. "Seems I'm not the only one who's having a location-crisis."
I was amazed at the change in Lreav. Gone was the shy, slightly awkward young man that I had met on the Melatha. In his place was a laughing, confident Al Bhed whose eyes sparkled as they met that of the woman's.
I stared at the woman as they continued to talk exciting, even bringing Gippal into their conversation. Like all of those around her, she had bright green eyes. Her dark hair was pulled back into a series of intricate braids, all of which hung loosely around her slim shoulders – which, I observed, was a very impractical style for the Al Bhed technician that I took her to be.
She was strikingly beautiful though, I couldn't deny that. The typical Al Bhed work clothes that she was wearing seemed to have been moulded to her body and she clung to Lreav with a possessiveness that seemed misplaced.
Just as I was about to pointedly clear my throat to remind them of my presence, the woman caught sight of me over Lreav's shoulder. Her green eyes narrowed suspiciously and she pulled back from Lreav, red lips coming together in a thin line.
I met her gaze and wondered at how one single look could make me feel about as big as a snail with a growth problem. I had never met anyone before who could ladle a look with such distrust.
"Fru'c dryd?" (Who's that?) she asked in Al Bhed, the distance between us and the unusual nature of my clothes making her assume that I was a normal Spiran.
"E's Rikku," (I'm Rikku) I replied coolly in the same language, stepping forward so that I joined their cosy little circle.
"She's Cid's daughter," Gippal said off-handedly, not looking at me.
"Cid's daughter?" the woman arched her eyebrow and I got the impression that she wasn't very impressed.
"Well I was the last time I checked."
"Really?" What was it about this woman that made her phrase everything as a question? I had just said that Cid was my dad so why in Spira did she keep questioning it?
"Yes really," I retorted, wincing at how petulant I sounded. The slight sneer that appeared on the woman's face indicated that she had picked up on this as well and I felt my cheeks warming – something that had become an all-too common reaction since the bombing.
I blamed Gippal. He seemed to be the source of all of my problems, the main one of which I was completely refusing to even think about. As I had told him, we were to pretend that nothing had ever happened between us.
And it hadn't, you know?
"Rikku – this is Elhanda. Lhan, this is Lady Rikku."
During my internal wonderings, Lreav had introduced the stranger. She did offer her hand but there was a distinct disinterest in her gaze. "Lrynsat," (Charmed) she muttered coolly, releasing my hand as soon as she could.
Before I could think of an appropriately polite response there came a stir of activity from the entrance of the temple. Several of the surrounding Al Bhed turned at the noise and hurried into the temple without apparent cause.
Gippal frowned and I got the impression – not that I was watching him or anything – that he knew as little as I about what was happening inside Djose Temple. "Go and find out what that's all about," he ordered, though I'm not sure who his comment was addressed to: Lreav or Elhanda.
Elhanda answered my mental ponderings by seizing Lreav's hand once more. "Come on pnudran (brother). I know better than to disobey our leader." The last was said with a saucy smile at Gippal and then they were gone, running to join the rest of the Al Bhed as they flocked into the temple.
Leaving me alone with Gippal. Something I had been trying to avoid recently but something that I didn't really pick up on because I was busy repeating what Elhandra had said, over and over in my mind.
"Brother?" I echoed the other woman's word, blinking in surprise. Elhanda was Lreav's sister?
"You couldn't tell?"
"No I just – it didn't cross my mind," I finished lamely, having once again jumped to the wrong conclusion. Even after Lreav had told me that he had an older sister!
"She seems ..." I searched around for an appropriate term, " ... nice."
Gippal didn't reply and when I looked over he was face was turned away from me and all I could see was the dark eye-patch he had worn for as many years as I could remember.
"Gippal?"
Still no response.
"Hey!" I poked him in the shoulder. "I'm talking to you!"
He shrugged my hand of and refused to look at me. Puzzled by his behaviour, I walked around until I was standing directly in front of him. "What's wrong with you? I know I don't like your teasing but sheesh – no talking at all?"
I must have touched a nerve because his head jerked upwards sharply. The look in his eyes was chilling; I had never seen him so angry, to intent so … so hurt. "Look Rikku, I know you find it easy to act as if nothin's changed between us but you know, I can't turn my emotions off the way you obviously can. So yes – I'm not talkin' to you."
He was upset – which involved emotions that I had often thought Gippal was incapable of – but more amazing than that, he was still thinking about our kiss! He was upset about our kiss!
I could hardly contain my surprise. To find that Gippal had been agonising over our situation as much as me was amazing, and also slightly flattering. Maybe this wasn't some kind of two-second fling; maybe I wasn't simply another in a long line of Gippal's 'girls'.
And maybe I had been too quick to hide beneath the safety of the easiest conclusion. That it would be better if nothing had happened between us and we should pretend that nothing had.
How had my judgement of him been so totally wrong? I'm not claiming to be some kind of expert when it comes to emotions and I can't read people like Lulu can but I'm not completely clueless either. And I certainly wouldn't have predicted that it would be Gippal getting angry at me over our kiss, rather than the other way around.
I didn't know what to say to him but I think my expression said it all because he laughed bitterly. "You really don't know me at all, do you Rikku? You just jumped to conclusions. Again."
"I didn't jump to conclusions!" I defended my own actions, not caring whether they had been right or not. "What happened … it was completely insane! And the timing really couldn't have been any worse," I added as an afterthought, remembering our mission and reminding myself that it was this that had been the main reason for my reaction to our kiss.
"The timin'?" he scoffed. "Dammit Rikku – this has nothin' to do with the timin'! Even if we were livin' within the most calmin' Calm in the whole history of Spira then you would still come up with some excuse to keep us apart!"
"I … I …" I had to say something; I had to change the subject! He was getting scarily close to the truth and I couldn't let him find out that his words to me back on the Melatha had been true. That I was scared of what my new actions and feelings towards him meant.
Suddenly inspiration hit me and I seized on the idea, not caring how stupid or ridiculous it would sound to Gippal. "I know what this is about. This has nothing to do with your apparent feelings for me!" I stuck a finger in his face, jabbing so hard that he flinched backwards. "I know exactly what this is about – your stupid male pride! I rejected you and you can't handle that!"
I was expecting some kind of angry response which would lead to yet another loud and bitter argument between us but instead he simply looked down at me mutely. And his look said everything that he couldn't or wouldn't speak aloud.
I can't remember ever feeling so wretched. I know I can sometimes be a bit thoughtless but none of my actions have really hurt anyone else before. Even when I kidnapped Yuna – probably one of my more erratic actions – my intentions had been pure and I really had been trying to protect her. So while my actions might have hurt her a little, I don't think she was really that annoyed with me when I explained everything. After all – I had been trying to save her life in my own inept way. She should have been grateful, you know?
But Gippal …
Suddenly I wanted to make amends. I wanted to make things all right with us again. I would ever have welcomed his teasing if it had meant an end to the painful silence that stretched between us now. And yet … I just couldn't admit that he was right. I kept imagining his smug expression upon hearing those three words – you were right – and every time I went to explain my actions, they held me back.
I mean, why did I really have to justify my actions to him? I'd made my decision about what had happened between us and I was going to stick to it. If Gippal couldn't deal with that then it was his problem, right?
Right?
But you didn't give him a choice, an annoyingly little voice inside my head told me, sounding smug and secure in it's righteousness. You made the decision for both of you without even listening to what he wanted.
What Gippal wanted? Did I even care what he wanted? This was my life and I made the choices.
But –
I cut the insistent voice off. No, I was right, and Gippal would just have to cope with my decision. Yes, my mind was made up.
One look at his face and my decisive thinking crumbled. Sure, Gippal wasn't someone that I often thought affectionately about – at least not until recently – but I didn't hate him either. And to know that I was the cause of his current unhappiness weighed heavily down on me.
I began to feel horribly guilty.
"Gippal!" Our uncomfortable silence was interrupted by Lreav, who had emerged from the temple and was running towards us across the rough ground. "You must come and see this!"
"What is it?" Gippal spoke calmly, his expression relaxed as if the argument between us had never happened.
"The CommSphere – it's broadcasting a news report from Bevelle." Lreav told us, his face drawn and slightly pale. "It's about the bombing."
Gippal drew in his breath sharply. "Well … I s'pose we knew it would come out eventually. Let's go check it out."
He didn't even look at me; he simply strode off after Lreav, apparently not interested in whether I was following or not. I rocked back on my heels, debating the merits of staying where I was in silent protest but as I watched the two men draw further and further away form me, I realised I was only spiting myself.
Sighing, I turned and plodded after them.
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" … Determined to uncover the truth," the reporter on the screen spoke directly to the camera. "However, as yet, no further information pertaining to the culprits of the bombing has been released to the media, although many have been speculating that those behind such a horrific plan are objectors to the new and fragile peace that Lady Yuna and her companions have worked tirelessly to bring to Spira.
The news feed flashed backwards as the broadcast began to play from the beginning again. "This is Annalina Trent reporting live from Bevelle with the breaking news story that has shocked the whole of Spira. A couple of hours ago, an explosion rocked the Newmark Hotel," the camera panned out behind her, focusing on the hotel that Gippal and I had fled from not too long ago.
"The target of the blast was the celebratory gathering headed by Bevelle's own Lady Yuna, and numbering such dignitaries as Praetor Baralai of New Yevon and Meyvn Nooj of the Youth League. A few minutes ago, a spokesperson for the party emerged from the hotel and stated that thankfully no lives had been lost, any injuries the guests suffered were superficial and everyone involved will make a full recovery.
"At the moment it is uncertain whether one or all of those attending the victory celebration were the intended targets of this unprecedented attack and early reports suggest that Praetor Baralai has already organised an investigation into the explosion, determined to uncover the truth. However, as yet, no further information pertaining to the culprits of the bombing has been released to the media …" I looked away from the CommSphere as the report began to repeat itself.
"You knew about this, didn't you?" During the broadcast, Elhandra had made her way through the crowd of Al Bhed until she stood alongside Gippal, Lreav and I once more. Now she was staring at me accusingly, as if the whole situation was my fault. "You were at the party!"
"Er – yeah," I agreed uncomfortably.
"What, so you decided that saving the world twice wasn't enough for you? You wanted the glory of solving the bombing of the party as well?"
Her comments struck me as distinctly unfair and I couldn't understand why she had taken such a disliking to me. Was I really that bad at first impressions?
Against my will, I found myself looking to Gippal for help. "It's an Al Bhed problem," he said shortly, not defending me against Elhandra's accusations as I had almost expected him to. "Which is why we're here."
"Yeah?" Elhandra arched an eyebrow at me as if in disbelief.
Lreav jumped to my defence. "Come on Lhan, Rikku isn't like that. She's here because, like Gippal said … it's an Al Bhed problem."
Elhandra sniffed but didn't get the opportunity to say anything else because a group of three Al Bhed approached, one of whom I recognised as the young man who had greeted Gippal when we had first arrived at the temple.
Gippal seemed pleased to see the newcomers, slapping them on the backs and exchanging enthusiastic greetings in Al Bhed. From their comments I gathered that they were important, high-ranking members of Gippal's Machine Faction and sure enough, within a couple of minutes, Gippal had shown us into an anti-chamber of the temple that I had never been in before. It held a small table and a number of chairs, one of which Gippal sank into with a sigh of relief. The other Al Bhed followed suite and once again, either by fate or by design, I ended up sitting next to Gippal.
"This is Rikku," he said without preamble, tossing a hand carelessly in my direction. "She was at the party with me when the bombs went off."
For the third time in as many days, I found myself on the receiving end of some very curious looks. I'm pretty sure they knew who I was so they must have been wondering what exactly I was doing here in Djose Temple with Gippal.
"Fryd rybbahat?" (What happened?) one of them, Treilad I think, asked finally and Gippal launched into a full explanation of events, beginning with the moments at the party before the bombs exploded and ending with our arrival at the temple.
Somewhat to my surprise, Gippal's Al Bhed companions took the news in their stride and after the initial moment of shock in which they raised their eyebrows and spoke a little sharply, they relaxed and asked sensible question about what had taken place in Bevelle.
"I am curious about these – these … these puspc,"(bombs) Avrin – the auburn haired Al Bhed said falteringly. His grasp of Spira's traditional language wasn't very good and it was sometimes hard to understand his mixture of this and Al Bhed. "You say they made by … Al Bhed?"
"There's no doubt about it," Gippal said and Lreav nodded in agreement.
"I have examined it myself Avrin," Elhandra's brother replied, resting his hands on the tabletop. "It is of Al Bhed make but … there is more than that."
"More?" Elhandra asked, looking across the table at Lreav. "What more?"
"The bombs have the marking of the Machine Faction on them," I supplied.
Elhandra laughed, as if I had said something amazingly funny. "I'd hardly call that conclusive! Hasn't it occurred to you that someone could have planted such a symbol to make it look as if the Al Bhed are the culprits?"
"Of course it has!" I shot back, sick of her making assumptions about me. "But if you'd waited until I had finished you would have heard me say that as well as the markings, the wiring within the bombs proves they were actually made here."
Elhandra's eyes narrowed.
"It's true, sister," Lreav told her regretfully. "I have examined the wiring thoroughly and … Rikku is right."
"Then there's a traitor," the young man who had greeted Gippal as we had arrived sounded nervous. He shifted in his seat. "There's a traitor in the temple!"
"Not necessarily Freelan," the dusky Treilad disagreed. He was clearly the oldest member of the group and though I wasn't very good at judging ages, I guessed that he was a good ten years older than Gippal, if not more. His skin was unusually dark for an Al Bhed but his green eyes proclaimed his heritage and during our conversation I had noted that Gippal treated him much like a mentor. Had Gippal known Treilad back on Bikanel Island? I resolved to ask Gippal about that, as soon as the awkwardness between us had been resolved and he was actually talking to me again.
Gippal looked intently at the older Al Bhed. "Why d'you say that Trei?"
Treilad considered the question for such a long time that I began to wonder if he could even think of an answer. I got the impression that here was a man who spoke sparing and thought carefully about his words before putting them forth. While that was very admirable, it made for very long conversations.
"Since the Machine Faction was established, when Lady Yuna's Calm began," he nodded towards me and I flushed with pride. It seemed Lreav wasn't the only one who had recognised my contribution to the fight against Sin, "there have been many Al Bhed to come to Djose Temple. Some are still here; some are excavating on Bikanel Island and many more have left the Machine Faction to pursue employment elsewhere. It is not inconceivable that one of those that has departed retains the knowledge that is needed to produce such an explosive device."
It was a good point, a certainly worth the wait. Unfortunately, it also opened up a whole new bag of possible criminals who would have had the know-how to construct the bomb. Treilad wasn't making mine and Gippal's job any easier.
"I should like to see this … how you say? Bomb?" the word emerged slightly incorrectly from Avrin's mouth but we knew what he meant. "Maybe I find something you have missed… Gippal? Ev oui fuimth'd seht?" (If you wouldn't mind?)
"Knock yourself out." Gippal told him, and then grinned. "Not that you actually can, mind. They're completely diffused by now."
"Well that's reassuring," Elhandra drawled, rolling her eyes at Gippal who just smiled.
I watched the interaction between them with a sinking feeling in my stomach. For some bizarre, inexplicable reason, when Elhandra flashed her bright, perfect smile at Gippal, I wanted to lunge over the table and scratch her pretty little eyes out. How dare she look at him like that! How dare her eyes rove so freely over his sculptured figure …
What in Spira? Sculptured figure? How would I know about Gippal's body? It wasn't as if I had been looking or anything … and even if I had been looking, I wouldn't have found him attractive, you know? I mean – this was Gippal for Spira's sake!
Elhandra tossed her long silky braids back over one shoulder and laughed girlishly at something Gippal had said. I ground my teeth together and tried my best to swallow my growing anger.
It was ridiculous, I told myself. I was making something out of nothing. It was most likely that Elhandra and Gippal were just good friends – after all, hadn't Lreav said that he had known Gippal for years? Then it only followed that Elhandra had also known Gippal for years and therefore it was only natural for him to be so open and relaxed around her.
I must have been imaging anything more. Right?
"You know, it's been too quiet since you've been gone on that stupid progress." Elhandra said, sounding too sincere to be true. "I've missed you Gippal."
I most certainly had not been imaging it! With those words, Elhandra squashed any failing chance that we had at becoming friends and, although she couldn't hear me, I mentally declared war upon her inside my mind. I had my target, now all I had to do was to take action! I could take puny Elhandra in a fight any day!
Wait a minute …
As the conversation moved on to other things, my sanity began to return to me. I unclenched my fists with difficulty and forced myself to look interested in what the others were talking about and not as if I wanted to murder one of their own.
Meanwhile, my inward thoughts were churning.
What was I thinking? Why was I letting Elhandra's obvious interest in Gippal annoy me so much? It wasn't as if I had a prior claim to him or anything … you know? I mean, we'd kissed sure – but that had been it. I had said that I wanted to forget what had happened between us and Gippal was obviously managing to do that with Elhandra – despite his earlier outburst – so what was the problem?
It wasn't like I was jealous or anything, you know? Because that would have been ridiculous. And besides, there would have had to be something between me and Gippal for me to be jealous.
And there wasn't … was there?
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Can you tell I don't like Elhandra? She's such a pain in the ass – but hey, I never said I was going to make things easy for Rikku and Gippal.
Oh and I hope you liked pissed-off Gippal! I thought I would be interesting to have him being the serious, angry one for a change – and putting flighty little Rikku in her place!
As always, read, review and enjoy : )