Hi all! Another Chapter is here! Yay! I just want to thank some of my reviewers!
OOoDancingQueenoOo: I know it sucks to have Gippal married, but I promise it will make the story so much more interesting! Thx for your review!
FlyHigh4Life: Thank you so much! I am glad you gave me a thumbs up!
Nina Heart: Thanks! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!
Master Thief: Thanks! I really enjoy reading your feedback!
FinalFantasyFangirl: Thanks so much! Here is chapter 4 all ready for you!
A Big thanks to all my other great reviewers! Hope you all enjoy this next looong chapter!
Oh, and if you guys notice little spelling errors, I apologize, my keyboard really SUCKS, and it seems to miss some letters now and then, even though I hit the key. I apologize for the typos that the spell check didn't catch…
Chapter 4Gippal jumped up quickly at the man's words, and spilled his water all over himself. Two attendants ran over to help Gippal clear up the mess, but Gippal waved them away. He was still trying to register what Jim had just told him.
"Cid's girl?" Gippal half asked, half yelled at Jim, who was smiling at him in a fatherly way. "Who decided that the Al Bhed princess would be the best candidate to risk her neck for me?" Gippal used a towel to wipe away the water that he had spilled all over his chest, and then sat back down at his seat.
"Well, Sir Gippal, we thought she would be an excellent candidate, since she and you were acquaintances, and Miss Paine and Miss Yuna had already agreed to watch over the Masters Baralai and Nooj.
"Oh Shit." Gippal whispered quietly, remembering Rikku's slight smile earlier, as he showed her his memo. "That little brat." He thought. "She knew the whole time." Gippal put his work-calloused hand to his forehead and sighed. What choice did he really have. She was already here, and had obviously agreed to take the job. And once Princess set her foot down, there was no going back.
"Well, I guess the decision's already been made," Gippal said, lifting his head and looking at the committee. "Cid's little girl…I mean…Rikku…is to be my bodyguard. 24-7. Greeeat." Gippal pinched the area between his eyes.
Jim, chuckled slightly to himself. He had gotten used to Gippal's behavior, and knew that Gippal would eventually get over it "Good, Master Gippal, now onto the most important matter of the day. Lady Elisa and her father Praetor Jovich will be arriving tomorrow afternoon. Prater Jovich would like a meeting with you immediately to discuss the marriage between yourself and his daughter. After the meeting, you are having lunch with Lady Elisa."
Gippal snorted quietly to himself. "I can't believe I am letting a bunch of old farts delegate my every move." He thought. "Be sure to fit in a possible restroom break somewhere in the day, wouldn't want to meet my future wife with pissy pants,now would I?" Gippal said loudly, his deep voice echoing off the walls of the room.
A few members of the committee who were taking notes looked up suddenly at Gippal. One man in the corner laughed loudly.
Jim, chuckled to himself, but continued on. "Don't worry Master Gippal, you have plenty of time scheduled for all of your restroom needs. There is even time for a quick shower in the morning. Lady Elisa and Praetor Jovich arrive tomorrow at 11 am sharp. You attendants will have you ready to greet them. Now, I believe this meeting is adjourned, unless you have any further questions Sir Gippal?"
"Nope." Gippal saluted the older man, and cocked a crooked smile.
"Good. Sir Gippal, your new body guard should be waiting for you outside."
"Let the fun begin." Gippal thought as he watched all of the committee members begin to exit. He got up smiling broadly. "If short stuff wants to be my bodyguard, she's got her work cut out for her."
MeanwhileRikku waited patiently outside the meeting room for Gippal's meeting to end. She had been called here about ten minutes earlier via her comsphere, and told to wait. She had been told that Gippal was being informed of her position as his new bodyguard. "Hmm..I wonder how Gippal will react when he finds out that I'm going to be protecting him!" Rikku asked herself, grinning wickedly. "Ooh! Hurry up!" She said aloud, stomping her foot. She adjusted the heavy gun holster that hung low from her hips. Paine had told her earlier to change into her gunner dressphere when she was on duty guarding Gippal. "Better get used to this stupid heavy holster." Rikku sighed. This dressphere was one of her least favorites. "I'm going to be wearing it all the time…"
Suddenly the doors to the meeting hall opened, and a small crowd of men poured out and past Rikku. A few of the men almost stopped dead in their tracks as they saw the pretty Al Bhed girl in her not-so-modest outfit.
"Obviously they don't get out that often…" Rikku thought, ignoring the wide eyes of the ogling men, and scanning the crowd for Gippal. Finally Rikku saw him emerge from the meeting room, chatting quietly with a dark haired gentleman. She heard his deep voice as they approached her.
"That sounds perfect to me. Let the guys over at Djose Temple and the everyone in Bikanel Desert know what is going on. Here, let me sign that and get it out of the way." Gippal signed his signature quickly onto a small piece of paper the man was holding, and then approached Rikku, with a grin on his handsome face.
"Well, well, well. Short stuff! You little trickster! You knew you were my body guard the whole time, and you didn't tell me?" Gippal put his heavy arm playfully around Rikku's shoulders. Rikku slumped under the heavy weight of the muscle bound arm.
"Oomph! Gippal oui kaag!" (Gippal, you geek!)
"And Princess! Did you get all dressed up for me?" Gippal took his other hand and stuck his finger under Rikku's black belt and pulled her closer to him. Rikku blushed slightly at the position of Gippal's hand, and the feeling of the flirtatious man's warm breath against her ear. She was so close to him, she could smell his spicy cologne.
Gippal whispered quietly into her ear. "Oui cruimth'd ryja…..RAMBO!" (You shouldn't have…RAMBO!) Gippal yelled the last word loudly into Rikku's ear. Rikku jumped up and punched Gippal as hard as she could in the arm. It didn't seem to faze him at all.
"Will you ever grow up you big weenie!" Rikku stuck her tongue out at the laughing Gippal.
"No really Princess, I love the Rambo look on you. Where's your face paint and camouflage and combat boots?"
"This is called a gunner dressphere dummy. I'm now your bodyguard which means I have to protect you. This dressphere is the most appropriate."
"I don't know shortie, I've seen your Berserker dressphere, and I must say.." Gippal cat-call whistled. "I think that one is much more appropriate…"
"Duu pyt oui femm hajan caa sa eh dryd uidved yc muhk yc e's ynuiht oui!" (Too bad you will never see me in that outfit as long as I am around you!) Rikku said, turning her back on Gippal.
Gippal started to make a lewd comment about Rikku's backside, when Nooj, Baralai, Paine, and Yuna walked up. Following behind Nooj, like a faithful puppy was his girlfriend LeBlanc.
"Rikku! Gippal!" Baralai said, smiling. "You two lost in deep conversation?"
"Hmph!" Rikku chortled, as she walked up to Yuna.
"Very deep stuff Baralai." Gippal said, with a wink to the angry Rikku.
"We were all about to go and get some dinner. You two want to come?" Nooj asked as Leblanc grabbed his arm possessively.
"Absolutely!" Rikku said, cheering up instantly at the mention of food. "I'm starving!"
"Good, let's go then." Paine said quietly as the group of friends walked down the hallway to the dining area.
A little later"Gippal! Knock it off!" Rikku attempted to slap Gippal who had been bothering her all evening throughout dinner. He had been laying his arm on the back of her chair and tugging her hair all evening. The small group of friends sat at a circular table in the expansive dining hall waiting for their dinner to be served and reminiscing about old times. Gippal sat next to Rikku, who was seated next to Yuna who sat chatting with Nooj. Leblanc sat to Nooj's right, permanently glued to his arm. Baralai and Paine sat together, both smiling softly at Gippal as he tugged on Rikku's hair again.
"So then Rikku stepped out of the Celcius in her underwear and proceeded to chase Brother down because he had soaked her favorite shorts in Chimera drool!" Yuna described one of Rikku's many mis-adventures on the Celsius, back when they were sphere hunters.
"And he was sorry when I caught up to him. He couldn't walk straight for a week!" Rikku exclaimed clapping her hands together, as her dinner was laid in front of her. "Ooh! I haven't had French fries in a long time!" Rikku picked up a large greasy fry from the big pile on her plate, and started to bite down on it. It was suddenly snatched from her finger's by Gippal's hand.
"Hey!" Rikku watched Gippal pop the fry into his mouth and give her a big grin. Rikku slid her plate closer to a smiling Yuna.
"Aww Princess, you don't want to share?"
"Leave me alone you big goon!" Rikku said, taking a drink of a bubbly liquid that had been poured into her glass. "MMM! This is yummy! What is this?"
"It's champagne Rikku." Paine said quietly. "And you should take it easy, as you have obviously never drank it before." Rikku ignored Paine's words and took a big gulp of the pink liquid.
LeBlanc picked at Nooj's plate and then turned her attention to Gippal who was sipping some wine.
"So Gippal, dear I hear there may be wedding bells in your future. Need a wedding planner?"
Gippal's green eye widened and he began to choke and sputter on his wine he had sipped earlier. Rikku shook her head in shock, and she turned to the choking man beside her. The entire table became silent as Gippal tried to regain his composure. Nooj gave LeBlanc and angry look.
LeBlanc looked lovingly into Nooj's eyes. She didn't have a clue that what she had just said was very bad. "What? Oh Noojie Woojie, everyone would have found out eventually."
Nooj was speechless in embarrassment. He had told LeBlanc about Gippal's plans earlier, because she had overheard he and Baralai discussing Gippal's decision. He didn't think she would just open up and ask Gippal about it though, since he had told her no one else knew about his plans.
"NO one was supposed to know about that until later.." Gippal said through gritted teeth, as he shot Nooj an angry glance.
"Awww…Gippal, you're going to look so handsome in your tuxedo!" LeBlanc giggled loudly. Suddenly Paine and Yuna sprang to life with questions. The both began firing them off to Gippal at the same time.
"When did this happen?"
"Who are you marrying?"
"Why didn't you tell us!"
Rikku simply sat next to Gippal and downed her glass of champagne, Yuna's glass of champagne, and made a grab for Gippal's glass of wine. Before she could lift the glass, Gippal grabbed her wrist.
"Cid's girl. Take it easy. I know you are shocked…but…"
Rikku's wide green eyes looked into Gippal's equally green eye.
"Shocked? Me? No! Not at all! I….just…..WAITER!"
A waiter approached quickly at the sight of Rikku's frantic waving at him. "More champagne please!" The waiter poured Rikku some more of the sweet, pink champagne. "Leave the bottle!"
The waiter gave Rikku a glance, but left the bottle. Gippal noticed Rikku's frantic behavior, but he decided she would be ok once he explained his situation.
"Well, I guess you ladies might as well know what is going on. Nooj and Baralai already know everything."
"And with that, ladies, we must say goodnight. We will leave Gippal to explain the situation to you." Nooj said as he, Baralai, and LeBlanc got up from the table and left.
Gippal explained the entire situation to the three girls. The entire time Rikku was listening to Gippal, she was downing glass after glass of champagne. She couldn't stop herself. She never thought that she would hear that Gippal of all people would be getting MARRIED!
After Gippal was finished with his explanation, Yuna and Paine both stared at him in shocked silence. Finally, Yuna spoke up.
"Gippal, I am very proud of you. It is a very mature decision you are making to save your people."
Paine, didn't seem to like the situation as much as Yuna. Her red eyes narrowed at her old friend. "Are you sure this is the only way? I mean you have never met this girl right?"
"Well, Dr. Paine, no I haven't met her yet. She and her father are arriving tomorrow and hopefully she won't be too frightening."
Paine sighed at Gippal's comment. "Gippal, I hope you know what you are doing."
"Oh don't worry about me Paine, I'm a big boy." Gippal smiled at Paine and winked at her confidently, even though his insides were churning.
"YEAh PaINe DoN't wor….wor…..WORRy about ol' GIPster! He's a BIG BOY!" Rikku burst out loudly, causing Gippal, Paine, and Yuna to jump. They all turned their gazes to Rikku who had, during the course of the night, finished off the entire bottle of champagne, and was now very intoxicated.
Rikku laughed loudly and slapped Gippal on the back of the shoulder. Gippal turned to the small girl next to him. Her hair was handing in her face, her cheeks were bright red, her eyes halfway closed, and she had a silly grin on her face.
"Cid's girl, you are plastered." Gippal said quietly as he took the empty champagne bottle that was intertwined in Rikku's fingers.
"I'm fine Gippal!" Rikku attempted to snatch the bottle from Gippal's hands, but she missed and fell forward onto the table.
"Oh Rikku…" Yuna said quietly as she patted the Al Bhed girl's back.
"I told her to take it easy. Now look at her. Can't hold her liquor." Paine said, leaning back in her chair, and crossing her arms in a motherly way.
"I don't feel so good…" Rikku said as she slowly lifted her head, and then leaned on Gippal's shoulder.
"Urm…Princess?" Gippal cleared his throat and blushed slightly. Rikku only responded by breathing steadily. She had fallen asleep.
"We'd better get her to her room." Yuna said, attempting to lift Rikku from her spot. Gippal got up slowly, his one arm still holding up Rikku's limp body.
"Here, I will take her. Yuna, you certainly can't lift her. And I don't see Dr. Paine jumping at the chance to try either." Gippal reached under Rikku's legs and scooped her into his arms as if she was as light as a feather. "I'll take her up to her room, since it is across from mine. You ladies go ahead. She'll sober up soon enough."
Yuna and Paine walked away slowly. Gippal hoisted Rikku up a little, and she swung her arm around his neck.
"No Dad! I don't want to play in the sand…" Rikku's voice faded out in her drunken sleep.
Gippal chuckled as he carried the Al Bhed girl through the dining room, up the large set of stairs in the sitting room, and down the hallway to her room, which was situated across from his. Gippal could hear Rikku snoring softly in his arms as he had an attendant open the door. He walked slowly into Rikku's dark room, and stumbled over a small pile of her belongings.
"Sacco Kenm..." (Messy Girl…) he whispered as he lay Rikku down on her bed. He looked into her peaceful face, and brushed a strand of her golden hair from her nose. He noticed for the first time that the little girl he once knew, had grown up. He looked at her smooth skin, her soft lips, her shiny hair framing her slender shoulders.
Gippal licked his bottom lip nervously as he leaned closer to her face, noticing her light freckles that dotted her nose and cheeks. "Hmm..Cid's girl…She's…." Gippal's thoughts were interrupted as an attendant outside shattered a glass on the ground. Gippal snapped back into reality, and quickly got up and started searching around for Rikku's pajamas.
The Next MorningSunlight streamed into Rikku's window, and hit her face, bathing her in warmth.
"Ungh." Rikku muttered, putting her hand over her face, attempting to block out the invading light. "What time is it?" She said to herself.
Her memories from the night before faded in and out of her mind. Her last memory was seeing Gippal's gray shirt and feeling him carrying her somewhere. "Oohhh." Rikku muttered as she sat up slowly, and felt her sheets fall from her upper body.
"Brrr…it's cold in here!" Rikku reached up and rubbed her bare arms. She then felt her bare neck, and ran her hand down to her bare chest. "Bare! I'm naked!" Rikku gasped as she pulled her sheet up to her neck protectively, as if an entire audience of people were watching her.
Rikku gasped in embarrassment as she realized: "Gippal! Gippal put me in bed last night! Oh no! He must've seen me this way!"
Suddenly there was a knock at her door. "Princess!" Rikku heard Gippal's deep voice outside her door. "Fifteen minutes to get ready. Another day, another dollar!"
Rikku groaned. "Why did I ever agree to do this?" She sighed, as she pulled her covers over her head.
End Chapter 4So what did you guys think of this looooong chapter? I just love the chemistry between Gippal and Rikku. They have to be IMO, the best Final Fantasy couple out there….Please Read and Review!