Dancing All Around Me : A Rikku x Gippal Fanfiction
- - x - -
Note : This takes place one year after the Final Fantasy X-2 gameplay, after the defeat of Vegnagun. The Gullwings have gone their separate ways for the time being: Brother, Shinra, and Buddy are traveling around Spira; Rikku is staying with Yuna in Besaid; Paine has "run off" somewhere (though she refuses to disclose her location), but manages to keep in touch with the other girls by sending spheres; Nooj, Gippal, and Baralai have remained leaders of their individual factions, and they have maintained a peace bond between the three groups; Leblanc and her syndicate have stayed in Guadosalam, and have caused no recent trouble. Spira is becoming a better place, and many fiends have been cleared out of the land. The people are looking forward to the future with much hope.
- - x - -
CHAPTER TWO : In Kilika
The sound of metal tools striking steel resonated through the stuffy air. Numerous Al Bhed workers stalked about the enclosed area, busy at constructing and excavating old machina. They were still working in the vicinity of Djose Temple, the spot chosen to host the machina operations.
Since the recent use of machina for security purposes in a few places in Spira, the Al Bhed machina specialists and builders were busy with constructing the finest and most productive machina. It was turning into a successful business now, and the leader of the Al Bhed Machine Faction, Gippal, had temporarily put the machina weapon research aside until things cooled down a bit.
Today, the nineteen-year-old Al Bhed man was monitoring the operations at the temple. His rough face was marred with dirt and blackened by ash from the heat ovens used to melt and mold the machina. From afar, he looked tired and worn-out. One of his assistants stepped up to him, a clipboard and pen held in her hands. After checking off a few items on the paper, she looked to Gippal.
"Models A-492 and C-587 are completed and ready, sir," she said.
Gippal ran his hand through his flaxen spiked hair. With a deep breath, he replied, "All right. Get them ready to be shipped out by tomorrow morning." He had to raise his voice above the standard volume, for the machinery noises were clamorous.
He shifted his glance to the workers who stood out amongst the crowd, the non-Al Bhed men who were currently working on the remodeling of the temple. Personally, Gippal didn't see any necessity to change the temple's configuration; he preferred the ancient, dusty stones and the worn down exterior. And oftentimes, he would wonder whether they felt misplaced amid the many Al Bhed walking back and forth. He had never liked their presence in the middle of the machina operations; they only provided a distraction to his workers, and they never had anything accomplished. All those drunken men ever did was loaf around, gesturing at the temple but never getting any damn plans down on paper. They were only wasting time.
With a sigh, he rubbed his right hand over his face, feeling ever the more tired. The assistant that had addressed him earlier was still standing there, watching him. At this, she spoke in a rather forward manner. "Gippal... don't you think you could give yourself a rest? You've been supervising all day, for the past several weeks. You've barely had enough sleep... You should take a break for a while. I'll help you watch over the place."
Gippal eyed the assistant standing next to him. True, what she had said – he really did need a break. And she had been a trustworthy assistant that he had depended upon for the past two years; leaving the operations in her hands sounded like a good idea. He smiled and nodded wearily.
"Thank you, Desta. I can't think of a better person to rely on. A good few months will make all the difference for me." With a light feeling in his heart, he turned to the vibrant sunset. Life was getting boring, and this change would surely bring about the excitement. He could hardly wait.
- - x - -
The sun was almost out of sight when Rikku stumbled from the S.S. Liki, the boat that had ferried her from Besaid to Kilika. During the ship ride, memories of her travels with the blitzball star Tidus and Yuna on her pilgrimage three years back drifted to her mind. She could recall the fun they had shared, and she missed it all. Memories of her spherehunting with Yuna and Paine came next; she remembered how the salty ocean air had caressed her face, how excited and ready they were to find the spheres of Spira's past. Now, it was as if a piece of her heart was missing. It didn't feel right without her friends around... but she immediately dismissed such a feeling; she had depended on them for too long. It was time to show that she could be as strong as anyone else.
With a small, brown knapsack slung over her shoulder (in which rested her crimson-colored, circular-hilt blades, a few loaves of bread and a bottle of water), she straightened up and stood on the Kilika docks, taking in her surroundings. The place had not changed in the one year since her spherehunting with YuRiPa and the Gullwings. The port was beginning to look more complete now, however. Pieces of wood and debris no longer littered the waters and docks; Kilika was turning into a busy little port- town. As night began to descend, the presence of residents in the dock area had lessened.
Rikku smiled as she readjusted the knapsack on her shoulder and headed in the general direction of the inn, hearing nothing but the all-too-audible sound of her boots thudding against the wood below her feet. She had no idea where her journey would take her, but she was sure that she would have fun. After all, she tended to enjoy herself no matter where she went. Somehow, she would find excitement.
Humming a little tune of sorts, Rikku ascended the steps to the inn and came to a pause before a large poster attached to the outside wall of the hut. In bright red letters, the phrase "Sign Up Now!" loomed over a logo of a sword forming a cross with a long silver ribbon. Below the image were the words: "Blitzball season has not yet started, but in lieu of the action, a new competition is taking place! Sign up today for a new contest where contestants must search throughout Spira for special 'ribbons' that can unlock secret treasures!" Her interest somewhat piqued, Rikku studied the poster for a moment longer, absorbing the information.
Treasure... that was always good, especially to Rikku's ears. She grinned at the poster. "Well then," she said. "I think this is the action I've been waiting for." She entered the inn and booked a place to rest for the evening. She needed some sleep. As she lied herself down into the comfortable bed, a brilliant smile captured her lips, and stayed there throughout the night. Tomorrow morning, she decided, she would find out how to register for this competition. It would be her first step to a new life.
- - x - -
Note : This takes place one year after the Final Fantasy X-2 gameplay, after the defeat of Vegnagun. The Gullwings have gone their separate ways for the time being: Brother, Shinra, and Buddy are traveling around Spira; Rikku is staying with Yuna in Besaid; Paine has "run off" somewhere (though she refuses to disclose her location), but manages to keep in touch with the other girls by sending spheres; Nooj, Gippal, and Baralai have remained leaders of their individual factions, and they have maintained a peace bond between the three groups; Leblanc and her syndicate have stayed in Guadosalam, and have caused no recent trouble. Spira is becoming a better place, and many fiends have been cleared out of the land. The people are looking forward to the future with much hope.
- - x - -
CHAPTER TWO : In Kilika
The sound of metal tools striking steel resonated through the stuffy air. Numerous Al Bhed workers stalked about the enclosed area, busy at constructing and excavating old machina. They were still working in the vicinity of Djose Temple, the spot chosen to host the machina operations.
Since the recent use of machina for security purposes in a few places in Spira, the Al Bhed machina specialists and builders were busy with constructing the finest and most productive machina. It was turning into a successful business now, and the leader of the Al Bhed Machine Faction, Gippal, had temporarily put the machina weapon research aside until things cooled down a bit.
Today, the nineteen-year-old Al Bhed man was monitoring the operations at the temple. His rough face was marred with dirt and blackened by ash from the heat ovens used to melt and mold the machina. From afar, he looked tired and worn-out. One of his assistants stepped up to him, a clipboard and pen held in her hands. After checking off a few items on the paper, she looked to Gippal.
"Models A-492 and C-587 are completed and ready, sir," she said.
Gippal ran his hand through his flaxen spiked hair. With a deep breath, he replied, "All right. Get them ready to be shipped out by tomorrow morning." He had to raise his voice above the standard volume, for the machinery noises were clamorous.
He shifted his glance to the workers who stood out amongst the crowd, the non-Al Bhed men who were currently working on the remodeling of the temple. Personally, Gippal didn't see any necessity to change the temple's configuration; he preferred the ancient, dusty stones and the worn down exterior. And oftentimes, he would wonder whether they felt misplaced amid the many Al Bhed walking back and forth. He had never liked their presence in the middle of the machina operations; they only provided a distraction to his workers, and they never had anything accomplished. All those drunken men ever did was loaf around, gesturing at the temple but never getting any damn plans down on paper. They were only wasting time.
With a sigh, he rubbed his right hand over his face, feeling ever the more tired. The assistant that had addressed him earlier was still standing there, watching him. At this, she spoke in a rather forward manner. "Gippal... don't you think you could give yourself a rest? You've been supervising all day, for the past several weeks. You've barely had enough sleep... You should take a break for a while. I'll help you watch over the place."
Gippal eyed the assistant standing next to him. True, what she had said – he really did need a break. And she had been a trustworthy assistant that he had depended upon for the past two years; leaving the operations in her hands sounded like a good idea. He smiled and nodded wearily.
"Thank you, Desta. I can't think of a better person to rely on. A good few months will make all the difference for me." With a light feeling in his heart, he turned to the vibrant sunset. Life was getting boring, and this change would surely bring about the excitement. He could hardly wait.
- - x - -
The sun was almost out of sight when Rikku stumbled from the S.S. Liki, the boat that had ferried her from Besaid to Kilika. During the ship ride, memories of her travels with the blitzball star Tidus and Yuna on her pilgrimage three years back drifted to her mind. She could recall the fun they had shared, and she missed it all. Memories of her spherehunting with Yuna and Paine came next; she remembered how the salty ocean air had caressed her face, how excited and ready they were to find the spheres of Spira's past. Now, it was as if a piece of her heart was missing. It didn't feel right without her friends around... but she immediately dismissed such a feeling; she had depended on them for too long. It was time to show that she could be as strong as anyone else.
With a small, brown knapsack slung over her shoulder (in which rested her crimson-colored, circular-hilt blades, a few loaves of bread and a bottle of water), she straightened up and stood on the Kilika docks, taking in her surroundings. The place had not changed in the one year since her spherehunting with YuRiPa and the Gullwings. The port was beginning to look more complete now, however. Pieces of wood and debris no longer littered the waters and docks; Kilika was turning into a busy little port- town. As night began to descend, the presence of residents in the dock area had lessened.
Rikku smiled as she readjusted the knapsack on her shoulder and headed in the general direction of the inn, hearing nothing but the all-too-audible sound of her boots thudding against the wood below her feet. She had no idea where her journey would take her, but she was sure that she would have fun. After all, she tended to enjoy herself no matter where she went. Somehow, she would find excitement.
Humming a little tune of sorts, Rikku ascended the steps to the inn and came to a pause before a large poster attached to the outside wall of the hut. In bright red letters, the phrase "Sign Up Now!" loomed over a logo of a sword forming a cross with a long silver ribbon. Below the image were the words: "Blitzball season has not yet started, but in lieu of the action, a new competition is taking place! Sign up today for a new contest where contestants must search throughout Spira for special 'ribbons' that can unlock secret treasures!" Her interest somewhat piqued, Rikku studied the poster for a moment longer, absorbing the information.
Treasure... that was always good, especially to Rikku's ears. She grinned at the poster. "Well then," she said. "I think this is the action I've been waiting for." She entered the inn and booked a place to rest for the evening. She needed some sleep. As she lied herself down into the comfortable bed, a brilliant smile captured her lips, and stayed there throughout the night. Tomorrow morning, she decided, she would find out how to register for this competition. It would be her first step to a new life.