Chapter 4

They were all standing on the deck of the Celsius. All, that is, except Brother. He was getting on everyone's nerves so much that they had locked him in the engine room. Nobody seemed to realize that no one was driving, but as Rikku had said before, they were safer on autopilot anyway. They were currently flying over the ocean on their way to Besaid. No one ever seemed to notice people there. It was a nice quiet place, oblivious to the comings and goings of the outside world. Everyone had just been staring out into space when Yuna finally turned to Rikku and asked the question that had been plaquing everyone's minds.

"What were you talking about back at the temple before Gippal rushed us out of there before you said anything stupid?" Rikku and Gippal shared a look.

"I meant exactly what it sounds like. You were too late. Gippal was dead this morning," she said seriously, something seemingly foreign on the youthful face. Buddy poked Gippal in the ribs.

"He looks alive," he said thoughtfully. He took a sniff. "He definately smells alive. Hey, what cologne do you us Gippal? I can never seem to find a gool fragrance." Gippal grinned.

"How about Au de Castor Oil?" the boys sniggered. Yuna stamped her foot.

"That's not funny!" she cried. This only made the boys laugh harder. "I'm only more confused than before! If Gippal was dead then why is he here laughing with Buddy. And what happened to his eyepatch?" This time it was Paine's turn to joke.

"Keh, the loser probably was wearing it because he thought it looked cool and now he's bored of it." Rikku joined in the laighing now.

"No he definately needed the eyepatch," she wheezed between giggles. Gippal glared at her.

"And you would know all about that wouldn't you so muja?" he mock growled. Rikku nodded and grinned evilly. "She poked my eye out with a machina when we were kids. I told her it was a dumb idea but would she listen? NO!"

"Oh, ok," Yuna said. Everyone was silent for a moment before Yuna, Paine, and Buddy cried," Wait a minute? SO MUJA?!"

"Since when did you start calling her that?" Paine asked suspiciously. Gippal smirked.

"Since last night," he stated simply. "I figured I was going to die so what was the point of hiding it any more?" Rikku walked up and threw an arm around him.

"You did die. Remember?" Gippal rolled his eyes.

"Oh really? How could I have forgotten?" he said sarcastically. "Oh course I remember! The whole thing is still a little hazy but still..."

Tidus, who everyone seemed to have forgotten about up until this point (including the authoress. heh heh. oops?) suddenly spoke up. "Well now that we are back on the proper topic everyone has apparently failed to realize that neither Rikku nor Gippal has actually succeeded in answering the question."

"That's because we don't know the answer. One minute I was dead and the next I wasn't. Plain and simple. Oh and I can see out of both eyes. Cool, but not very informative."

"Was anything strange going on at the time Rikku? Were you doing anything out of the ordinary?" Paine asked. Rikku was silent for several moments as she thought this over.

"Not really. I was crying but that's not that unusual is it?" Everyone stared at her in disbelief. None of them had ever seen her cry. Not when Gippal had left to join the Crimson Squad, not when Tidus had faded, not even at her own mother's funeral. She was not heartless. It was just hard for her to show that side of herself. She had cried inside, but no one had ever known.

"Ok, so Rikku was crying. That still doesn't tell us what happened. Any thoughts Shinra? You know everything after all,"
she said turning to the small Al Bhed boy. Shinra shrugged and shook his head.

"I'm just a kid," he said and everyone groaned. Tidus thought this whole thing was way above him so he decided to lighten the mood.

"So, party at me and Yuna's place?"

...............................................................................................................................

AN: Yeah this is dumb and short. But it's four in the morning and I haven't gone to bed yet and such things would be said so now they have been said. Does that make any sense. The next episode will be the party and then the action will really start. Can't tell you how or why as that would ruin the plot!