Disclaimer: FFX, FFX-2 – neither of them belong to me, I'm just a poor, starving fan : )

A/N: Well, I lied. I said this would be the last full chapter of the story but it turned out the exposition took a lot longer than I expected, so you're going to have to wait until the next chapter for the ultimate conclusion. I hope this chapter isn't too boring and text heavy – it's pretty much just an exposition chapter so not much actually happens. Sorry about that but it couldn't be helped – this storyline is just too damn complicated!

Oh and I just want to answer an observation that a couple of reviewers have made about spellings. You may have noticed me spelling words like 'realise' with a 's' rather than a 'z'… that's because I'm using English spellings. While the dialogue in the European version of FFX-2 is American, I feel more comfortable writing using spellings and words I am familiar with. So thanks for those who pointed it out but the differences were intentional.

This chapter is dedicated to all those people who thought I was going to kill Rikku off … I could never do that! Besides, how would I write a sequel if she were dead? Hehe ; )

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Rikku's Story

By: JoeyStar

Timeframe: Set a month or so after the 'perfect' ending of FFX-2

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Chapter 22

Death wasn't anything like I had been expecting.

You hear all this talk about a white light at the end of a long dark tunnel; all your life's memories flashing before your eyes; all your fears and pain drifting away until you were enveloped by an aura of peace … I wasn't graced with any of that stuff. In fact, about the only thing I could see was darkness – which was kind of scary. Once, when I was younger, I'd overheard a group of Al Bhed talking about where you go when you died … but I couldn't remember never-ending darkness being part of the description. I felt disappointed, and also slightly indignant. I'd lead a pretty good live, all things told. I mean sure, I'd occasionally taken things that hadn't belonged to me, and yeah I'd blown up a few things, but it's not like everyone else in Spira was without their sins. Well – maybe Yuna. She had that whole 'holier-than-thou' attitude going on … But anyway – I'd saved the world! Not once, but twice! That had to count for something, you know?

Apparently not, because the stubborn darkness remained; there wasn't a spark of white light anywhere. And I certainly wasn't feeling very at peace with myself, free of pain and all that. If anything, the pain was actually getting worse, something I found to be rather disturbing. Did injuries still hurt after you died? Or was everybody wrong about what happened when your soul was Sent? Wait – there was no one here to send me, so maybe that was it! Perhaps I was stuck in some kind of limbo … but no, that didn't make much sense either. Since Sin had been destroyed, their had been no new Summoners trained and the few still practicing in Spira – Yuna, Dona, Isaaru – couldn't be presented to Send every person that died, could they?

So what the hell was happening to me then?

"Rikku!"

……

"Oh Spira, Rikku, can you hear me?"

… Is someone talking to me?

"Rikku!"

Maybe it was so kind of guide to the afterlife! But if so, why couldn't I see him?

"What has he done!"

"Spira, there's so much blood …"

"He –he shot her!"

"Rikku? Rikku open your eyes!"

Open my eyes? Why would I want to do that?

"Open your damn eyes Rikku!"

No thanks. I think I'm okay here … Suddenly the blackness didn't seem quite as bad, despite its uncertainty. If only my whole body didn't feel like it had been hit by a particularly vicious Fira spell …

"He s-shot her …"

"Just calm down! Please, Rikku – open your eyes!"

"She – she's bleeding. Everywhere!"

"Calm down! Put pressure on the wound – we have to stop the bleedin' … tyssed Rikku if you don't open your eyes right now I'll damn well kill you myself!" (dammit)

The voice was male, I realised distractedly, but why did it keep shouting at me? Why wouldn't it just leave me alone …?

"The wound's too big!"

Be quiet … The second voice, so shrill, so panicked, grated on my nerves. I felt an irrational surge of dislike towards the owner.

"Have you got any Potions or –"

"Nothing. It's all back on the Melatha!"

"You didn't think to bring any!"

"I was rather more concerned about making sure you weren't dead!"

The voices were arguing like children … it was irritating and yet I couldn't seem to escape it. Besides, something about them seemed really familiar … did I know them?

"She's goin' to die if we don't help her! You've truly got nothin'?"

I was going to die … ? But wasn't I – I wasn't dead?

"Nothing. But maybe she has –"

"If she had anythin' she would have used it!"

"Don't shout at me, Gippal!" The female voice had a distinct note of hysteria in it. "This isn't my fault!"

I know you …

"There must be somethin' –" The female voice wasn't the only one edging towards the hysterical. "Dammit, she can't die! Not after everything we've been through. Not like this …"

You're Gippal … Gippal … Gippal!

With unexpected clarity the memories attached to his name slammed back inside my mind and I suddenly realised whose arms were wrapped protectively around my dying body.

Dying, not dead. An inrush of hope filled me.

"Well I could – I could try … "

I knew this voice now: Elhandra. She was the woman who had been plaguing me since the beginning of this nightmare. She was my antithesis; my nemesis; my rival for Gippal affections.

"I could try to heal her."

And she was the woman who was about to save my life. The situation was so horribly ironic that if I could have, I would have laughed.

"You can heal?" the hope in Gippal's voice tore at my heart. Slowly, I began to struggle against the darkness that held me.

"Well, I have a certain amount of –"

"Lhan, can you heal her?"

I paused in my attempt to break free, waiting breathlessly for her answer. Trust Elhandra to draw out the moment to achieve the perfect amount of dramatic tension.

"I can try," the contrary woman said finally.

Thanks ever-so much. And don't worry about hurrying or anything. This is only my life we're talking about. It's not as if it's anything important: like your hair or nails for instance.

"Then what are you waitin' for?" Gippal demanded, echoing my own thoughts.

"Nothing, nothing," Elhandra muttered in a distracted voice, as if her mind was already on other matters. Hopefully saving my life.

I waited anxiously for some sign that whatever Elhandra was doing was actually having some kind of effect. It wasn't that I doubted her claim; I knew that certain people in Spira could heal, whether it be through natural means, like Yuna, or a Dress sphere, like Paine, but Elhandra to hear that Elhandra was one of them was certainly a surprise. I'd had no idea she'd been hiding such a gift, but it wasn't like she would've told me, you know? We weren't exactly best friends.

I'd always imagined that healing was something of a gentle process. I mean, I've been healed before, plenty of times. It's not that I'm careless mind, but it in battle it's very easy to dodge to swipe of one Machea'sclaw only to be caught by the other one creeping up behind you. Suffice to say, during Yuna's pilgrimage and my time in the Gullwings. I'd experience plenty of healing, from both Dress sphere and personal powers.

But I'd never been brought back from the cusp of death before, and I was about to learn that there was a huge difference between simply drinking a Potion and having your soul dragged back into your dying body.

At first it was like a gentle tickling – slightly irritating but certainly not any call for alarm. In fact, it rather felt like someone was teasing a Chocobo feather up and down my body … which brought to mind some interesting new thoughts to share with Gippal when we finally had a moment alone together –

The idea was ripped brutally from my mind by an onslaught of pure agony. It seared out across the skin of my back, where the wound was located; it felt like my entire body had been doused in liquid fire. I screamed, but whether it was out-loud or not I couldn't be certain. The pain was so great that I couldn't focus, nor could I form a coherent thought other than that if whatever was causing my misery didn't cease soon then I surely was going to die.

As abruptly as the inrush of Elhandra's power had begun, it stopped. The bone-crushing pain of moments ago had dissipated and I became aware that the increasing ache of my wounds had eased; they were still throbbing somewhat but the pain was distant, seemingly unconnected to the rest of my body. As I dared to breathe an internal sigh of relief, there was a moment of utter, unadulterated silence from beyond my closed eyelids.

"Did it work?"

"I … I think so …" I'd never heard Elhandra sound so uncertain before.

There was a pause and then a voice sounded, close to my ear, "Rikku?"

The darkness was beginning to dissolve around me even as I strove to push it back. Suddenly I didn't want to stay here any longer. The merits of hanging in a stasis between life and death were few and far between and as far as I was concerned, I'd already wasted enough precious time by giving way to the eternal blackness. Besides, there were still things I had to do, you know? And people I had to see. Spira – I wasn't even eighteen yet. That was too young to die!

Filled with a burning new resolve, and the sound of Gippal's voice tugging at me, I focused all of my energy on forcing my stubborn eyelids open. As my eyelashes finally parted, the reality of the world came slamming back into me with dizzying clarity.

A blurry face hovered above me and a disembodied hand was stroking my hair back from my forehead. The hand belonged to the owner of the face, I realised blearily, and that face belonged to – belonged to …

"Rikku?"

Gippal.

I suddenly became aware that at some point between being healed and opening my eyes, he had turned me over so that he was supporting my weight. My head was cradled against his chest and his arms were wrapped carefully around my waist in an effort to make me more comfortable. His piercing green eye gazed down into mine and the level of concern, fear and something else that I was afraid to identify almost blinded me.

I couldn't help it; I found myself blushing. Which was a ridiculous reaction considering that I had just been pulled back from the brink of death, but I simply couldn't help noticing how close Gippal was. Even during the few tempestuous kisses we had shared, he had never held me like this – as if he gripped too tightly I might break.

It was intense, touching … and a little scary.

"Gippal," I breathed, although it came out as more of a croak then the gentle proclamation I had been going for. My mouth was as dry as the desert on Bikanel Island and when I tried to moisten it, I just ended up coughing. So there I was, lying in Gippal's arm, cheeks flaming, hacking my lungs out.

Not a very attractive picture. Luckily Gippal didn't seem to care. He held me as I coughed breathlessly, his hand stroking up and down my back in a soothing manner. When I finally caught me breath and drew my hand away from mouth I was supremely relieved to see that the only blood on my palm was dry and old. It seemed as Elhandra really had done a good job.

Damn, that meant I would have to thank her.

Shrugging that unpleasant thought aside, I raised my head and met Gippal's eye again, feeling suddenly shy as I blinked up at him through the strands of hair that had fallen across my face.

He pushed them back behind my ear, apparently without having to think about it. "How are you feelin'?"

"Like I've been shot in the back." I shifted my weight slightly and winced as a jet of pain shot down my spine. Maybe I wouldn't be thanking Elhandra any time soon.

"I was so worr –," Gippal broke off and looked away from me. "I thought you were gonna die," he finished gruffly.

"It'll take more than one piece of machina to stop me," I told him airily.

"Or one man," Gippal put in, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth. I smiled back, but deep down I knew both of our expressions belied our true feelings. I had seen the terror in Gippal's eye and I'd felt my own fear that I'd never see him again. The threat of me almost dying; the threat of Gippal losing me, had forever changed our relationship. Even if I had wanted to, I could no longer deny that I was in love with Gippal, nor could I imagine living my life without him. And what's more, I was … fairly sure he felt the same way about me.

But what did it all mean? And where did it leave us?

Before I could formulate any concrete thoughts on that subject, a harsh voice intruded upon my musing. "As touching as this reunion is, I think we have more important things to deal with at the moment."

Typical Elhandra. She always found a way to spoil the moment between me and Gippal. No matter if we were on the Melatha, on our bloody honeymoon or in the antechamber of a deserted temple, being stalked by a crazy man with a dangerous machina weapon, Elhandra would always find a way to –

A crazy man with a dangerous machina weapon.

"Lreav." The word was out of my mouth before I'd really thought about it. But as soon as my mind caught up with my mouth, I stiffened and struggled to sit up. Mindful of the pain in my back but pushing it to one side, I rose unsteadily to my feet, clinging to Gippal for support as he rose with me. "Where's Lreav?"

How could I have forgotten the man who had shot me? The man who was behind the misery that Gippal, Elhandra and I had suffered through – not to mention the countless hundreds who had been victims of nothing more than Lreav's sick need for revenge. How in Spira had I forgotten about him?

My eyes scanned the temple for him frantically, an abstract part of mind taking in the destruction that our battle had caused. I recalled my previous thoughts about the people of Kilika and their reaction to finding their temple destroyed and felt horribly guilty. It hadn't even done any good, had it? I hadn't been able to stop Lreav and in turn he'd almost killed me. The damage had been for nothing.

Gippal put a hand on my arm; I was trembling with a mixture of suppressed emotions and fear. "He aint in here."

"No, he is. And he has a gun –" I pulled away from Gippal and stumbled down the steps. He chased after me and caught my arm as I reached the centre of the floor below. I twisted in his grasp, trying to peer behind the three remaining statues. Why was he holding me back? Didn't he know that Lreav could jump out at us at any moment?

"Rikku." Gippal spun me around and made me face him, his grip on my arms tight. I ceased my fighting but stared stubbornly down at the floor, determined to prevent him from seeing how shaken up I was. "Lreav's not here."

"How do you …?"

"When Lhan and I finally reached you, he was standin' in the doorway." Gippal waved his hand in the direction of the vast temple doors, which were still standing slightly ajar from where Elhandra and I had entered through them some minutes before. "He shouted somethin' like 'how'd you like my revenge now, Gippal?' and then ran outta the temple before we'd had a chance to react."

My head jerked upwards. "Why didn't you go after him?" I demanded.

Gippal stared at me. "Rikku, you were bleedin' to death. I couldn't just leave you there."

"Oh." That made sense, I guess.

"We have to go after him."

Gippal and I turned around to see Elhandra descending the stairs, a set look upon her face. "We have to end this." It was impossible to tell what she was thinking but I had to admire her composure. If all of this pain had been Brother's doing, I know I wouldn't have been able to keep a level head.

"She's right," I agreed, ignoring the flicker of surprise that passed across Elhandra's face. For some reason it irritated me; I wasn't that unreasonable, you know?

"But there's something else I want to know first," I continued. "I want to know what this is all about and I want to know now."

I didn't think it was an unreasonable request. I'd been in the direct firing line of Lreav and I still didn't know why. All I'd been told was Elhandra's scared 'he's going to kill Gippal!' which was all well and good – well not exactly good – but didn't get anywhere near explaining the 'why' behind everything that had happened.

After I'd spoken I knew immediately from the expression on his face that Gippal was going to attempt to forestall me. "This aint really the time –"

"Gippal, there's never going to be a time," I said flatly. "So as far as I can tell this is a good a one as any."

"The more time we spend here babbling, the further Lreav is getting away," Elhandra pointed out quickly. "I say we go after him now and deal with other … matters … later."

"No," I said firmly as they both made to move towards the temple exit. "I want to know now."

"Oh c'mon Rikku –"

"Why does everything always have to be about you?"

I seized upon Elhandra's bitter comment with relish; it fuelled my growing frustration. "This became about me when Lreav nearly killed me. I think that fact qualifies me to know what in Spira's name is going on here!"

"We don't have time –"

"No Lhan, she's right." We both looked at Gippal, Elhandra with amazement and me with expectation. Finally I was going to find out what this was all about!

Gippal took a deep breath. "Lreav hates me … because of somethin' my father did."

I frowned. I'd never heard Gippal talk about his father before. Well, to be honest, I'd never heard Gippal talk about any of his family before – but something about his father rang a bell in my mind. However, on it's own, this statement was about as much use as Elhandra's babbling about Lreav wanting to kill Gippal.

"I don't understand."

A distant look appeared in Gippal's single eye. "I s'pose it was all my fault really …"

"No, it wasn't," Elhandra argued instantly, giving him a sharp look. "It had nothing to do with you. It was – it was accident."

I still didn't understand.

"But if I hadn't –" I was taken aback by the anguish that had suddenly appeared on Gippal's face.

"No!" Elhandra repeated, more forcefully this time. "It wasn't your fault, Gippal. Don't let my – don't let Lreav twist you into believing that."

I looked back and forth between them two of them. They seemed completely unaware that I was there, and still waiting for the answer to a question I was sick of asking.

Finally, after what seemed to be an age, Gippal sighed and ran one hand through his hair. "Maybe you're right," he murmured.

I watched him for a few more moments but it seemed like there was no more information forthcoming. Irritated, I opened my mouth, only to be interrupted by Elhandra before I'd even begun.

"It was no one's fault … not even Lreav's really." She spoke quickly, nervously. "I mean, you have to understand, he had a really difficult time being the only half Al Bhed on Bikanel Island. Lots of other Al Bhed disliked him –"

I realised then what she was trying to do. She was trying to defend her brother! She was trying to make excuses for what Lreav had done because he'd had some kind of troubled childhood!

I tried to fight against my rising anger; to prevent it from spilling over and making me say something rash.

Unfortunately I failed.

"That's no excuse," I said vehemently. "My cousin's half Al Bhed but that's never made her run around killing people."

Elhandra flinched as if I had struck her and instantly I wished I could take back my hasty words. Once again my quick tongue had only served to worsen the situation.

"Sorry," I muttered in a rather pathetic attempt to rectify my mistake.

"No," Elhandra held up a hand, surprising me. "No … you're right. It is no excuse. Lreav's actions … they're – they're indefensible. I know that really …"

"Maybe, maybe not," Gippal murmured cryptically.

I frowned at him, waiting for elaboration and not understanding how he could defend Lreav after all the pain and destruction that the other had caused.

Gippal touched his forehead briefly as if he had a headache and then lowered his hand so that it rested against his eye-patch. "You ever wondered how I lost my eye?"

It had certainly been something I'd pondered from time to time, but generally before I'd got to know Gippal well. Even when we started to become close it had just never occurred to me to ask him. So I shrugged my shoulders and wondered what Gippal's injury had to do with anything.

"It was in an accident that happened when I was ten. I didn't mean to but …" he trailed off, as if he was searching for the right words and was unable to find them. When he spoke again, his words were little above a whisper. "Lreav's mother … she was killed."

So Lreav's mother had been killed in some kind of accident that had also involved Gippal? I got the impression that there was more to the story than that but I let it go for the moment. After all, this wasn't really the time for weighty explanation and at least I was finally learning something about the reasons behind this madness.

"Lreav blamed Gippal."

Elhandra's words were quiet as she took up the narrative.

"After the funeral all he would talk about was getting revenge. Even after Gippal had moved away and we hadn't seen him for years. He was so focused …" She sighed. "I thought it was just something he'd get over, you know? And he did – or he seemed to. As he grew older he stopped talking about revenge. In fact, he became really quiet in general. And secretive. I always meant to keep an eye on him but it was just one thing after another. First Sin came and then Home was destroyed – and by the time the Calm finally came around, he'd already left to join the Machine Faction. I didn't find out until later that Gippal was the leader."

"He must have used it to get close to you," I observed slowly, inwardly marvelling at how long Lreav must have been planning his revenge on Gippal for. It was a horrific thought and I shivered, remembering first hand how painful Lreav's revenge could be.

"Yeah," Elhandra agreed. She turned to look at Gippal curiously. "You know I always wondered why you gave Lreav a place in the Machine Faction when you knew he resented you."

Gippal drew away from us slightly. "I felt guilty," he explained simply, looking across at Elhandra. "Guilty for his mother, guilty for everythin' that had happened … Besides, the first thing he did was apologise. And I guess I just wanted to forget everythin' 'cos I believed him without question."

Silence greeted Gippal's last statement and I found myself thinking, Yeah, we all believed in him without question. He was so damn convincing. That was the problem.

"Where do you think he will have gone now?" I asked finally, directing the question to both of them. Although it was gratifying to finally know something of the truth behind Lreav's motives, I was actually beginning to think I'd made a mistake by insisting Gippal tell me at this moment. While we'd been standing in the temple talking, Lreav could have once again disappeared into the jungle. I winced at the thought of having to track him for a second time. Kilika, though truly a small island, seemed never-ending when you were moving around on foot.

"He's had a good ten minutes head start," Elhandra worried, toying restlessly with one of her braids. "He could have got to Kilika town by now."

"Or he could be on his way back to the Melatha," I pointed out, fighting the urge to groan. If Lreav had retreated to the ship then once he was aboard we had no chance of catching him. I swell of guilt rose up inside me. If that happened then it would be all my fault.

Elhandra shook her head, braids dancing. "Even if he goes back he can't get in." Noticing my curious look, she smiled in a superior fashion. "I changed the access codes."

Even though I couldn't stand the woman, I wanted to kiss her right then. I never would have thought to do such a thing but Elhandra, even in the midst of her worry for Gippal, had. My estimation of her rose slightly.

"He'll be close by." Gippal's statement cut across our conversation and recalled our attention. He was staring at the dais upon which my blood could still be seen. I shivered, my back tingeing sympathetically as I recalled how close I had come to dying here in the temple. The expression on Gippal's face was unreadable but I got the feeling that he was thinking deeply.

"Why do you say that?" Elhandra asked before I could.

Gippal's gaze wavered and he glanced at me. "He thinks he killed Rikku. Although I don't think he planned it, it is the ultimate form of revenge. He wouldn't wanna do that and just leave without seein' my reaction."

As twisted as this logic was, I couldn't help agreeing with Gippal.

"So he's still here?" Elhandra glanced around at the silent statues.

I shook my head. "Not in here. You saw him leave, right?"

Gippal nodded, looking towards the half-open door. "He'll be waitin' outside somewhere."

I drew myself up. "Right. Then let's go out there and finish this. Once and for all."

If Gippal was startled by my abrupt words, he didn't show it. "Once and for all," he echoed and then started moving towards the open door with a sense of purpose in his stride.

Elhandra hurried after him and I was left to bring up the rear, sparing the poor temple once last guilty glance. I would find a way to pay for the damage I had caused, I decided. It was the least I could do.

I caught Elhandra up as she reached the doorway. Gippal had already passed through into the daylight outside but as Elhandra made to follow him, I reached out to forestall her. She looked disdainfully at where my hand was touching her arm and I released her quickly.

"Yes?"

The words needed to be said so I swallowed my pride. "I wanted to say thanks," I said awkwardly, scuffing my boot against the floor. "You saved my life and … well you didn't have to."

There was a brief pause and I looked up to see Elhandra studying me. "I didn't do it for you," she admitted finally, "I did it for Gippal. And for my brother. The last thing Lreav needs is another death on his conscience."

Her words were harsh and unfeeling but I had expected nothing more. In fact, I felt more respect for Elhandra knowing that she had been honest. There was no way we were ever going to like each other but at least we seemed to have reached some kind of understanding.

"Are you done?"

I waved her through and was about to follow her out into the bright sunlight when a wave of fear swept through me and I faltered. Somewhere outside, Lreav was waiting for us. Waiting for me. And he still had his gun while I was weapon-less. Spinning on my heel, I ran back across the antechamber and collected my daggers, apologising to Lord Ohalland when I pulled one from where it had lodged in his chest. Feeling slightly more confident, I headed back towards the open door, only to pause once more on the threshold.

My daggers made little difference when all was said and done. They'd not been much use against Lreav last time had they? Phantom pain rippled down my spine and I winced, clutching them tightly against my chest.

What if Lreav shot me again? What if Lreav shot Gippal? What if he shot Elhandra and she wasn't around to heal us? Or what if – what if he shot Gippal and Elhandra and I was left to face him alone?

My breath was coming faster and faster, my palms were sweating and I was in serious danger of hyperventilating. I forced myself to take a few deep breaths and calm down. I was no good to anyone if I stepped outside and was reduced to a quivering wreck at the first sight of Lreav, was I?

No – I had to be calm. After all, the odds were a great deal better this time. Three against one and as far as I knew, I wasn't the only one with a weapon. And even better, Lreav would only be expecting two at the most – and one of them he would assume would be hampered by grief.

A feral smile crossed my face as I quashed my fear. Lreav was going to get a huge shock, but not if I continued to linger in the temple. As I had said, it was time that we finished this.

Once and for all.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Final Chapter:

- The final confrontation with Lreav

- Further secrets in Gippal, Lhan and Lreav's pasts are revealed

- Rikku finally begins to understand

As always, read review and most importantly: enjoy ; )