Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Final Fantasy X-2 or any of its characters, never will. That belongs to Square-Enix.
Author's Notes: Wow, thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I'm happy so many of you like it. As for romance, well, you never know ::wink wink:: Oh, and one more thing, You-Know-Who a.k.a. Him a.k.a. Tidus ::gasp:: does not return for the purposes of this fanfic. He's really not that important here. Sorry.
Before I continue, I just want to say things are going to get a little bit more confusing (hah, that's an understatement). Just remember that Rikku is in Gippal's body so it's Rikku's mind in Gippal's body and vice versa. Hope that helps. Let the confusion begin!
Change!
Chapter Two: Much Ado About Rikku
"Gippal?" Rikku asked, getting to her feet, too. Her eyebrow twitched as she registered what Gippal had just said. "What do you mean 'switched bodies!?'"
Gippal shook his head. "I don't like it any more than you do, but it looks like that's what happened." A sly grin spread across his face. "Or maybe you do, Rikku. Getting a free look…"
Rikku felt her face grow hot. "You sicko!" She whacked him over the head with her fist. "You're the one who wants to peep!"
"Yeah right!" he snorted. "As if there's anything to look at! Ouch!" He rubbed his head after Rikku hit it again. "You're really hurting yourself, you know?"
"It's worth it if it causes you pain now," she huffed. "So what are we going to do? I don't wanna stay like this forever!"
"Could've fooled me." Gippal ducked just in time to avoid Rikku's fist for a third time. "Relax, Cid's girl, I can fix it."
"Huh? You can? How?"
Gippal started pacing, a habit he had developed when he was explaining an idea. "We switched bodies when I was working on the machina, right? So, maybe if I fix it to how it was before, we'll switch back."
Rikku stared. Was he being serious? "That has to be the stupidest idea I've ever heard!"
"Hey, if you have a better one, I'd love to hear it." Gippal crossed his arms, waiting for Rikku's response. When none came, he smirked. "I'll take your silence as 'Wow Gippal! You're a genius!'"
Rikku made a face. What an egomaniac. She took a deep breath. "Okay then, start fixing."
"Uh, well, it's not that easy. Those parts were custom built. I'll have to order new ones from Bikanel."
"But that won't take long will it?" Rikku asked waving her arms excitedly. Bikanel Island wasn't that far away. She'd be back in her old body in no time.
"Uh, no, not long." Gippal answered. He made to walk away but held back. "Define long."
"Wha- Oh, no, Gippal!" Rikku had known Gippal long enough to know when he was trying to hide something. In times like these it was best to ask the most obvious question. "Exactly how long is this going to take?"
He grinned sheepishly. "A month."
"WHAT!?"
"Look, I'll see if I can get them faster, but I can't promise anything." He looked down at what he was wearing, Rikku's thief gear. "But this skimpy outfit may help. Hey!" Rikku slapped his arm. "Until then, we have to keep this under wraps, got it?"
"Right, as if I'd want anyone to know I was in your body," Rikku answered, her voice dripping with sarcasm that would make Paine green with envy.
"Better be careful how you say that, Cid's girl!"
"Ack! You pervert!"
The transmitter on Gippal's belt clicked on as he dodged Rikku's wrath once more.
"Rikku, come in!" Brother's voice crackled through the speakers.
"Roger. What's up, Brother?" Rikku chirped automatically while Gippal smacked his forehead in exasperation.
"Gippal? Very funny joke. Now, where's Rikku?"
"But I'm-"
"Here Brother," Gippal intervened, covering Rikku's mouth and giving her a look. Grinning evilly he continued, "That Gippal. He's so funny… and handsome."
"What are you talking about? Get back to the airship pronto. We've found more treasure sphere waves!"
"Right."
The transmitter clicked off and Gippal removed his hand from Rikku's mouth.
"What'd you say that for?" she burst out. "I would never say that!"
"Heh, sorry. Remember, I'm Rikku and you're Gippal."
"Oh, yeah. Well, at least try to act more like me."
"No problemo." Gippal shot her a smile before he left the room.
"I would never say that either!" she shouted after him.
She sighed. A month? Inside Gippal's body? It sure wasn't going to be easy.
The lower hatch of the airship opened as it landed in front of the temple. Gippal stepped inside, the staircase receding behind him. He had never been on the Celsius before and therefore had no idea where to go. Luckily, there was an elevator at the end of the hall. Touching the screen panel revealed a plethora of destinations for him to choose from.
'Hmm, let's see… Engine room! Oh, man I have got to go there.' He raised his finger to push the button but the elevator began moving upwards on its own. 'What the-'
The elevator shuddered to a halt and the doors slid open.
"There you are, Rikku!"
Gippal looked up. Yuna was standing at the end of the corridor.
"What took you so long?"
"Uh, nothing," Gippal answered, aware his eyes were drifting downward. He quickly looked back up at Yuna's face, hopped out of the elevator, and gave her the biggest, cheesiest Rikku-like smile he could muster. "Let's go."
Gippal followed Yuna to the bridge. Paine stood there with her arms folded and a nonchalant expression on her face.
"Hey, Dr. P, how've you been?" Gippal grinned, automatically applying the nickname he had come up with for her during their Crimson Squad days.
She narrowed her eyes. "Stop fooling around, Rikku. We've got a job to do." And with that she sauntered over to two Al Bhed Gippal recognized as Buddy and Brother, respectively.
"Jeez, what's her problem?" he muttered.
"That's our Paine," Yuna giggled. She turned to Gippal. "Dr. P? You must be spending too much time with Gippal."
"Huh? O-oh, well, um…" Gippal scratched his head. How was he going to get out of this one? He was supposed to be Rikku. What would she say? He opened his mouth to reply but found Yuna had already joined Paine. Brother stood there, gazing at Yuna, drool narrowly escaping from the corner of his mouth..
"Rikku, kad ouin pidd ujan rana! [Rikku, get your butt over here!]" Brother yelled, ceasing his staring for the moment.
Gippal rolled his eyes before walking over to join Yuna and Paine. When did Brother become such a prima donna? One second slobbering over Yuna and the next shouting at 'Rikku.' This guy has serious issues.
"So, where's the sphere?" Gippal asked. The sooner this sphere hunt was over the sooner he could order those parts, ergo be back in his own body.
"The Moonflow," Buddy replied.
Yuna grinned. "Okay, Gullwings," she began as she went into her characteristic YRP pose, "let's go!"
Paine nodded and followed Yuna's example with her own pose. "That sphere is ours."
Gippal stared. What the hell were they doing?
Minutes passed and Yuna and Paine stood perfectly motionless in their poses.
"Um, Rikku?" Yuna asked Gippal, attempting to remain as still as possible. "What are you waiting for?"
"Huh?" Then it suddenly dawned on him. He nodded, making up his mind. "Let's kick some fiend ass!" he shouted while doing a series of twirls and spins, the most absurd action he could think of.
The instant he stopped he knew he had done something wrong. Everyone was staring at him with open-mouthed horror. Maybe he should have cartwheeled across the bridge instead?
"Rikku, oui buddo suidr! [Rikku, you potty mouth!]" Brother shrieked, pulling Gippal away from the others and towards the elevator. "Barkeep ryc cusa Hypello Potion dryd femm lmayh ouin suidr uid! [Barkeep has some Hypello Potion that will clean your mouth out!]"
"Yff, lnyb [Aww, crap]," Gippal mumbled.
Gippal clutched his side as he followed Yuna and Paine down the Moonflow path. They had been running for at least ten minutes, sans fiend fighting, which took up at least twenty, and he was exhausted. His fighting skills were nothing short of rusty, having not had to do any serious fighting since his Crimson Squad training. Not to mention the disgusting soapy taste of Hypello Potion was still in his mouth. Brother had insisted that one bottle would no suffice. Only after Gippal had suffered through eight bottles did Brother relent. What he wouldn't give to be back in his workroom, sipping a tall, cool glass of shoopuf milk.
"Come on, Rikku. Hurry up!" Yuna called.
Gippal shook his head. Sphere hunting was one tough gig.
"Just a minute," he panted, urging Rikku's scrawny legs to move faster.
"Rikku, behind you!" Paine shouted.
Gippal whirled around. A barbuta had emerged from the tall grass, an evil glint in its eyes.
Gippal grinned. "Alright buddy. You wanna dance?" He ran up to the beast digging his dual daggers into its skin. They didn't even leave a scratch! "What the-"
"Rikku, the garment grid!"
Gippal quickly backed away from the fiend and looked down at his wrist. The grid was spherical in shape with five glittering spheres set into the nodes. Gippal scratched his head. How the heck was he supposed to know which one to choose? They all looked the same to him. Meanwhile the barbuta was steadily making its way towards him.
'Ah, I'll just choose… this one!' He plucked one of the spheres out of the grid and held it high above his head, closing his eyes tightly. A warm sensation spread throughout his body as a bright light surrounded him. Slightly dizzy, he opened his eyes and found that he was staring out of what appeared to be a mask.
The barbuta stopped in its tracks, staring opened-mouthed at Gippal. He smirked. Apparently this dressphere was so frightening that even the toughest fiends did not dare to attack. A barking noise escaped from the barbuta's mouth.
'It must be dying,' Gippal thought to himself as he watched the barbuta gasp for breath. 'What a great dressphere, to kill fiends with a single glance!'
But instead of falling over, the barbuta began barking louder and louder and then Gippal realized that it wasn't dying, it was laughing! The fiend turned around, laughing all the way back up the path.
'What the hell was that about? What's so funny?'
The moment Gippal looked down he found out what was so funny. He was wearing a gigantic Cait Sith suit!
Author's Notes: Poor Gippal! Next time, Rikku gets her turn when Baralai and Nooj show up at Machine Faction Headquarters. What are they doing there? How will the upbeat, perky Rikku (a.k.a. 'Gippal') handle the cantankerous (grumpy :)) Nooj? What about the letter? (remember that?) Lot's of surprises in store.
Can you imagine if Leblanc and Ormi switched places? Ormi running after Nooj shouting, "Wait, Noojie-Woojie!" Ha, that would be funny :) Just my two cents. See ya next chapter!