Chapter 9: Saving Gippal… again!

Rikku found herself within a frozen wasteland. Shivering slightly, she folded her wings about herself. She suddenly felt warmth spread throughout herself. She assumed it was some sort of subconscious ability she had gained from her transformation. Whatever it was she was glad for it. Now it was time to find Gippal. She called his name, wandering through the snow. On top of it actually. She was so worried about her boyfriend that she didn't even notice that her feet did not sink into the drifts at all. This was probably a good thing. It she did sink she would probably find herself waist deep in a snow bank and she wouldn't be able to get anywhere.

"GIIIIIIIPAAAAAAAAALLL! Gippal where are you! Are you there Gippal! Answer me dammit!" She was beginning to get very worried. From what Rikku could tell, apart from herself, the place was completely deserted. Then she felt her love's reply rather than heard it.

"Rikku?"

"Gippal! So muja, is that you?" Rikku's heart beat erratically in her chest. Gippal was here! Now all she had to do was find him.

"Yes… it's me." Rikku did not like the tone in his 'voice' at all. She knew that she had to find him. Fast. Too bad she had no idea where to even start looking.

"Where are you?" she called to the empty air, praying Gippal heard her.

"Lost. Can't find…"

"Gippal?"

"So cold…" In desperation, Rikku took to the air. She soared above a sea of white searching for any sign of Gippal. Time was running out, Rikku knew it in her heart. A wall of ice appeared in the distance, seeing it as a place to start from, Rikku flew towards it. Her wings were still new to her and she tired easily. When Rikku reached it, she pirouetted midair and landed gracefully on a ledge, her back to the wall. She gazed out over the landscape and her heart dropped down into those cute little boots of hers. There was no sign of Gippal anywhere.

"Muja… found… turn…" Startled, Rikku whirled around and nearly fell off the ledge. What she saw there filled her with such shock and horror that her heart skipped a beat. She took a hesitant step forward and pressed a hand against the ice. Gippal was frozen right into the ice, his hands reaching out to her. It was a miracle he wasn't dead. Desperately, she pounded against the ice. She jabbed the staff into the ice; it barely chipped at it. She let out a cry of frustration.

"Don't cry… Rikku." The fact that Gippal was trying to comfort her when he was in such a state forced a despairing sob out of Rikku. She pressed her hands against the ice again. Their fingers nearly met – would have - if not for the ice.

"I'll save you," Rikku said shakily. She shut her eyes. She wished the ice would just melt. She wished that the same warmth that she felt would somehow reach the one she loved more than life itself. He needed her, desperately. But she couldn't help him. The tears began to fall.

Rikku's eyes snapped open and her fingers flared. Golden flames spread from her fingertips in a wide circle. She pressed her hands even harder against the ice. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, the ice was pushed back. It hissed angrily like a living thing, steam rising in billowing clouds. Rikku's fingertips touched Gippal's. Heartened, Rikku let forth a burst of power that released Gippal instantly. He landed hard on the ice with a groan. Rikku ran forward and gathered him up in her arms.

"I knew you would find me," Gippal whispered, a small smile quirking the corners of his lips. "My angel."

"Let's go home," Rikku said. She waved her hand like she had seen Niliya do, and the door appeared in the side of the ice. She helped Gippal to his feet. He leaned heavily against her, shivering violently. Alarmed, Rikku wrapped a wing about his body. Together they staggered through the door.

The others were waiting for them on the other side. Tidus rushed forward and put his head under Gippal's arm to help Rikku hold him up. "What happened?" Yuna demanded worriedly. She put her hands on Gippal's cheeks. "You're freezing! Have you been lying facedown in a bank of snow?"

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell…" Gippal burst out laughing. "You try staying warm when you're stuck in a wall of solid ice."

"Ummm…" Rikku giggled, the stress of the situation finally getting to her as well. "Isn't ice always solid?"

"You two have finally lost it," Tidus said, shaking his head. "Come on, let's get you somewhere warm." The three of them took a couple steps before Tidus halted suddenly. "Wait! Do we have to walk down all those stairs again?"

Niliya laughed and raised her hand. "No, I will open a portal which will take you directly back to the temple in Bevelle."

"Aren't you coming with us? There is still so much that I want to ask you!" Rikku was devastated. She felt a sort of kinship with this woman and had already come to rely on her guidance. Niliya had come to be like the mother that Rikku never had. Niliya smiled comfortingly.

"Do not worry child. I shall still be with you," she said.

"That is so cheesy!" Rikku groaned.

"Just don't be surprised if you start hearing voices in your head," Niliya said, grinning evilly. The penny dropped.

"Oh!" Rikku gasped, then giggled. "See you later then Niliya."

"Wait!" Paine yelled suddenly. "I promised I would bring back a souvenir for Baralai!" Niliya laughed and plucked a feather from her headdress. There was an odd sort of fwoosh sound and it turned to gold. She handed it to Paine.

"Will this do?" Paine nodded, honoured. Niliya stepped back, her hands weaving the spell that opened the portal. It appeared in the wall next to them, the orange light reflecting across the room giving it the glow of a fire. "Good luck, all of you. The fate of Spira rests in your hands once again. Rikku will need your support. Stand together and there is no way that you can fail." They nodded at her respectively and passed one by one through the portal. Rikku spared one last look back, but Niliya had her back to them.

When they passed through to the other side they gave Baralai quite a start. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! I was worried about you guys. It took so long for you to come back. Hey, what happened to Gippal?"

"We had quite an adventure on the other side," said Paine. "It's too bad that you missed it."

"Right now all I want to do is curl up in front of a fire with some of Barkeep's best," Gippal said, trying to stand on his own.

"Woah, easy there!" Tidus said, when Gippal collapsed again. "It's a long way back to the main part of the temple. There's no way you'd make it back on your own. So let me and Rikku give you a hand, alright? I, personally, am sick and tired of all this walking."

"Well, let's get this over will then," Paine said and began to run back, not waiting to see if the others were following.

"Wait!" Baralai called, running after her. "Wait Paine! You don't know the way! Pa-aine!"

"Hey! What about me?" Yuna cried, following them as fast as she could. Tidus sighed angrily.

"It looks like we're going to be left behind. And without anyone to guide us back we're going to get lost."

"That's not good," Gippal muttered.

"Not quite," said Rikku with a mischievous smile. "I was watching Niliya when she was making all those portals. I know how to make them now too. I made that one out of the ice world all by myself remember Gippal? I'll just make one and we'll go straight back to the ship."

"You little devil!" Gippal said in amazement. Rikku grinned and slowly leaned Gippal's full weight on Tidus. Then she walked to the portal that went back to the Soul Tower. Using the now familiar hand gestures she changed the portal so that it opened into the cabin of the Celsius. The colour of the portal changed to a red that matched the colour of the Celsius.

"Cool!" Tidus exclaimed. "This is going to be much easier." When they were back in the cabin of the Celsius Rikku and Tidus laid Gippal down on one of the beds and covered him with a bunch of blankets. They left instruction with Barkeep to look after Gippal and get him a mug of the Hypello's best.

Were Yuna, Paine, and Baralai ever surprised when they found Tidus and Rikku sitting on the ramp of the Celsius waiting patiently for them. "How did guys get here?" Yuna demanded. "Baralai was about to go back and get you guys! And where's Gippal?"

"Gippal is upstairs warming up. I'm going up to join him in a couple minutes. I just wanted to see the looks on your faces when you realized we got there before you." She beat her wings amusedly.

"What on Spira?" Baralai exclaimed jumping back. "Where did those come from?" Rikku folded her wings behind her back, embarrassed.

"Err… well… umm… you see…" she stammered. Suddenly she heard Niliya's voice in her head.

Rikku… You can transform back if you wish. Just fold your wings as tight against your back as possible and put your palms together. Then concentrate on an image of yourself as your human self. Rikku did as she was instructed. She felt a diminishment of her power. Don't worry, that's normal. Rikku suddenly felt her wings melt into her back and vanish.

"That better Baralai? Don't be freaked out. It's just a part of my being the Phoenix. I learned to use my power on the other side of that portal. Which leads directly to the Celsius now by the way. Use it if you ever need to speak with us ok?"

"Yeah, don't hesitate to visit us. Oh yeah, I almost forgot…" Paine reached into her pocket and pulled out the gold feather and handed it to Baralai. "This is for you." Baralai stared at the feather.

"What's this?" he asked, looking up at Paine. Rikku nodded at Yuna and Tidus and they went inside. Paine took a step closer to the Praetor.

"You… did ask for me to bring you back a souvenir," She said hesitantly. "You do like it. Don't you?" Baralai's hands tightened about the feather.

"Of course, it came from you didn't it? It's very beautiful, thank you. I'm sorry that I don't have anything to give you in return right now."

"That's alright. Well I'll be seeing you." Paine turned to go but Baralai reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Paine wait," something in Baralai's tone scared Paine. "I think that I just thought of the perfect gift." Gently, he pulled her about to face him. "I can give you my heart." Paine tried to pull away, shaking her head but Baralai wouldn't let go. "Paine, please. I know that we have had our differences in the past. You have no idea how much the Shuyin thing hurt me. I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that right? And I know that you feel something for me. I know you do. Paine? Say something."

I… ugh… I," Paine wanted to tell him how right he was, but the words would not come. Her tongue was tied all in knots and her heart kept fluttering in a rather distracting way. Well, Paine knew a way to tell him how she felt without having to say anything!

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Rikku grinned as she watched Paine and Baralai kiss. "I knew it!" she cried triumphantly, pumping her fist into the air. Gippal hobbled up to stand next to her, somewhat hindered by his large cocoon of blankets.

"I knew for years those two would hook up eventually. Back when we were in the Crimson Squad together sometimes I wanted to smack their heads together to knock some sense into them."

"But it seems they've finally come to their senses," Yuna said, coming to join them by the window. Gippal shook his head and laughed.

"Nope, Baralai just finally grew a backbone," he said. He sneezed loudly. "Now I'm going to have a nap. Maybe I'll feel better when I wake up."

"I'll join you," Rikku said. As they snuggled up together under that huge pile up blankets Rikku smiled to herself. She had people who she could trust; people who would stand by her no matter what. Niliya was right. There was no way they could lose!

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AN: Yeah, yeah. It's a short chappie again. So sue me. That was just the perfect place to end the chapter. That's all. And I'll update soon too. Oh, and I'm not much of a PaineXBaralai shipper myself but that's what you guys want. You told me so. And even I have to admit that was quite kawaii. And opposites attract I suppose. Well all the power to them! And as for you guys, review please! chibi eyes Make the little purple button happy.