Words left unspoken

Thank you for the lovely reviews! You all swayed me to post this before I went . Hope you like, it has a bit more action than the last chapter.

By the way the title I got from the game, Yuna said it near the end but I thought it suited the story. Basically the words left unspoken are Gippal's thoughts at the beginning of each chapter. Anyway I'll shut up and let you read.

The engagement party

It had been two years since I had last seen your face. I doubt you'll ever be able to understand how hard I tried to wipe it completely from my memory. But every night as the rest of the world slept I would sit and see that beautiful face. Why do you haunt me Rikku? Why? For two years I have tried to avoid the memory of us, of what we could have been. I was getting better at it, at least I think I was, until that day. That day you showed up in my life again.

Two years was a long time for me to dim the memory of your beauty, I was shocked by how much I succeeded. Unless you had grown more impossibly beautiful. I felt so helpless. For two years I had tried to get over you, forget that the only happy memories I had were with you. I had made happy memories in the Crimson Squad, when starting the Machine Faction. none could ever begin to match your effect on me.

I can easily boast about my good acting skills, it's what got me through the visits with you. I pushed my real emotions down so deep that it was hours before they resurfaced, by that time you had gone again. Yet even being the genius actor I am I couldn't help but give a hint the second time you arrived at my doorstep. Remember? 'We made quite the couple'. I couldn't help myself. I…I know it was a forbidden thing to mention after what happened, but I needed to know. I needed to see your reaction, whether you'd be disgusted, relieved or just deny it all.

I guess denial was the best choice, although I was disappointed a little. but then after what I said to you two years ago I was amazed you only shoved me instead of drawing your daggers! …It hurt me a little though, we had so many good times and now they have been forbidden from remembering due to one idiotic fight. Yet I know even now if I was given the chance to change it I wouldn't. You deserve so much better Rikku and I refuse to be the one to pull you down again. I had you to myself for a long time and I know they will remain in my happiest memories. No one can ever replace you in my heart Rikku, no one.

I wish I could leave our past behind and move on from you but it will never happen. Every time I see you I am reminded that you are the only one, and yet the only one I can never have.

I love you Rikku, but you can never know that. You have to believe I broke up with you for those other reasons I made up, you can never know the truth. I've hurt you enough already…

-----

The everlasting silence that had descended upon the lonely woods was being ungratefully disturbed by the echo of footsteps. The trees had faded into a transparent state causing the once proud woods to look more like an illusion, a small record of what it once was. A rough, harsh hand brushed against the tree bark causing part of it to peel off and fall hopelessly to the ground. A soft moan escaped from the fading forest, cursing the man for disturbing their last chance of dignity.

"What have those bastards done to you?" The stranger growled to the flaking tree in disgust. His boots stamped the group sending a wave of pain which allowed the forest to fade faster. "But don't worry my beauty." He cooed to the forest with a little grin. "Soon those filth shall crawl back to the desert. And the leaders…they don't deserve to live after being allies to those rats!"

The forest groaned again fading a little more, fear pulsed through every tree, through every rock. The man continued his trek through the forest unaware that his evil presence and deeds were making it fade faster. He reached the lake where the two lovers had once enjoyed their first kiss. The forest tried to cling onto that beautiful memory rather than look at what was happening now.

By the lake's edge stood one of the most powerful machina anyone had made. The man grinned at his baby he had created within a month. Now those Al Bhed would pay for ever existing, the summoner would die for what she had done to his home. All those who helped her or supported her wouldn't live long, and where better to strike them then when they are all together?

"Come on pet." He purred powering up his machina, using what was left of the forest's energy to do so. "Go to Besaid and eliminate your targets!"

---

"Open mine Yunie!" Rikku whined pouting slightly as her cousin purposely avoided Rikku's gift. Yuna gave her a teasing smile as she began to open the present from Nooj and LeBlanc.

"Oh." Yuna managed blushing crimson as she revealed a baby outfit.

"You'll never know how soon you need it love." LeBlanc told her while clutching onto Nooj's good arm. Obviously he hadn't been a part of the present decision because he stared at her with disbelief. Rikku giggled at Yuna while Paine tried to hide her smirk. "Thank you." Yuna said politely. Tidus had been stunned into silence beside her.

"Open mine Yunie!" Rikku yelled again bouncing about on the soles of her feet. "Please!"

"As long as it's not matching shoes." She heard Paine whisper with a chuckle. Rikku grinned glad to see Paine in such a good mood, she really had changed since The Gullwings. Rikku had heard from Yuna it had something to do with the frequent 'visits' she made to Bevelle and it's praetor. The idea made Rikku happy for her but again sad for herself. Everyone else had something and someone. What did she have?

"Okay, okay I'll open it!" Yuna said with a giggle. Rikku instantly banished the thoughts and grinned happily beginning to dance on the spot. The present seemed to be rectangular but when Yuna opened it she found it was a box. She looked puzzled at Rikku who urged her to keep going. Eventually after another two layers of smaller boxes there sat a sphere.

"Rikku, I'm not…"

"I know!" Rikku said cheerfully. "It's not that kind of sphere, I made it myself. I, uh, recorded some memories with the help of the movie theatre in Luca. Thought you two might like it. It's of your stories." Yuna smiled at her with slight tears in her eyes and got up to hug her cousin. Rikku heard a mumbled 'My present was cuter' from LeBlanc before Yuna sat back down and started playing the sphere.

---

"Lusa uh baubma mad'c kad sujehk!" (Come on people let's get moving) Gippal yelled while running about with the famous Al Bhed energy. It had been two days since he'd last laid down, let alone been able to get any sleep. However, once he'd fixed the coffee machine his cocky self had returned. Thank the fayth for caffeine.

"Gippal! We've finally got that batch done." Lance told him proudly. "But we've got a report from the Thunder Plains that one of the towers have malfunctioned."

"Again?" Lance nodded wearily but still held a smile.

"Well, I guess we should send Femmings again. Tell him I want a full report on it's condition. If its really that bad we'll have to go there and redo it."

"Okay Gippal." Lance said studying the young man. "Maybe you should take that medicine and get some sleep, we can manage now." Gippal sighed while scratching the back of his neck, a habit he'd always had.

"Yeah I think I will…" He began but stopped when a loud alarm echoed through the temple. "Fryd'c kuehk uh?" (What's going on?) Gippal yelled over the noise.

"Y fydlran ryc muyldat y tyhkanuic, ihghufh machina raytehk cdnyekrd vun Pacyet! Ed'mm naylr ed eh dah sehidac!" (A watcher has loacted a dangerous, unknown machina heading straight for Besaid! It'll reach it in ten minutes!)

"Cred." Gippal muttered before going into his leader mode. "Ugyo, e fyhd Days Uha du bnab dra ynecreb huf! Days dfu yht Drnaa bnabyna vun pyddma yht Days Vuin yna dra lmayh-ib lnaf. Days Veja cdyo rana yt bnudald drec bmyla! Bid dra tavahlac ib ihdem fa kad pylg!" (Okay, I want Team One to prep the ariship now! Team two and Three prepare for battle and Team Four are the clean-up crew. Team Five stay here ad protect this place! Put the defences up until we get back!) He then turned to Lance while his men prepared and laid a hand on his shoulder. "You're in charge here."

"I doubt she needs rescuing Gippal." Gippal choose to ignore the comment as he shouldered his weapon and headed for his ship.

---

"Five respect points Rikku." Paine said quietly. Rikku stared at her shocked.

"Huh? But I didn't do anything! I thought is was a cute pressie!"

"I meant added." She said with a slight smile, Rikku grinned and began dancing on the spot again.

"Thanks Rikku, that's so thoughtful of you." Yuna said hugging her cousin again. Tidus gave her the thumbs up. Their reactions had been worth the hassle she'd been through to finish it.

Rikku watched as Yuna and Tidus finished opening the presents and then immediately hinted on the giant cake Lulu had prepared. What? Sphere hunting and being cheerful took up a lot of energy and she needed sugar! Yuna giggled and told her to help herself.

Rikku bounced over to the table and noticed that Paine and Baralai headed off away towards the waterfall. She giggled and placed a large portion of cake in her mouth. This earned her a glare from Nooj and him muttered something that sounded like 'brat' before he shuffled off to talk to Yuna.

"Sayhea" (Meanie) Rikku mumbled with the cake in her mouth before moving away towards where her father, Brother, Buddy and Shinra stood. "Having fun?"

"Rikku! don't talk with your mouth full! It's rude!" Brother yelled before turning back to gaze at Yuna. Rikku rolled her eyes.

"Where are you going after the party then?" Buddy asked as Rikku swallowed the last of her cake.

"I don't know." She whined slowly walking in a circle. "Maybe I'll go to Bikanel for a while or just travel around. Something will come up."

"Well you could always settle down kid." Cid butted in hesitantly, Cid being nervous was never a good thing. "You know, meet a decent guy, marry, be the wife of the next Al Bhed leader.."

"WHAT! I'm only seventeen for Spira's sake!"

"You'll be eighteen soon girl and that's when me and your mother were married!"

"But I'm not as boring as you!" She said standing her foot and wearing her usual pout.

"Just think about it Rikku, you're friends are all settling down. Maybe it's about time you started to grow up too. Whoever you pick is gonna be our next leader, you need to chose well."

"What about Brother?" Rikku pointed who was still drooling at Yuna. Cid shivered as he watched him making Rikku grin.

"You're our only hope." He said with a serious look that made Rikku laugh. He didn't seem to like this reaction very much. His latest remark, however was cut off by a cry that sounded like Baralai.

"Paine!" Rikku's blood chilled at the sound of terror in his voice. She glanced over at Yuna who quickly grabbed her gun. Rikku unsheathed her daggers and headed towards the sound.

----

Gippal had been pacing about for the first fifteen minutes but after he received a few glares he made himself stop. Well, after giving a little annoying pep talk to make everyone want to murder him. His crew were so fun to wind up, but not as good as Rikku. However after that he now sat down, occasionally scratching his neck until it was red while tinkering with some machina. Usually any sort of mechanical job was enough to calm him, but not now. Not when it was Rikku.

"Cra'mm pa veha." (She'll be fine) He told himself beginning to take the machina apart again so he could rebuild it. He grinned at a nearby worked who wasn't doing much and told him to 'prepare to bring it for the machina'. The man rolled his eyes but did as his immature leader said. Gippal went back to his less happy thoughts.

If anything happened to her…he wouldn't know what to do. It had been bad enough when his mother died and life had just carried on. He didn't want to carry on when he knew Rikku wouldn't be paying a little visit one day. He lived for those visits.

He knew she was strong, that she had helped defeat Sin and Vegangun. He knew if he had been in that situation he would have died, but he still worried. What if she got careless? What if she was stubborn and wouldn't leave a fight she couldn't win. What if she died and he failed to protect her? He sighed and began tapping the floor while grinning cockily at his workers. Being leader was fun, no one wanted to be the person to tell him to stop it. He could just sit and watch their annoyed faces being distracted from their worry of the upcoming battle and concentrate on their joint hatred towards the annoying Al Bhed. He chuckled before a new thought came across him.

What if she doesn't need you to rescue her. He sneered at himself. What if she survives and stops visiting anyway? What if she finds out the truth about your life before Home? What if she hated you?

"Yc muhk yc cra cinjejac." (As long as she survives) He told himself earning a curious stare from an Al Bhed working nearby. "Yc muhk yc cra mejac eh untan du ryda sa, e tuh'd lyna." (As long as she lives in order to hate me, I don't care) You're starting to sound like some obsessive crush, concentrate on what's to come so you don't get both of you killed! Gippal sighed and placed the machina away already having rebuilt it. Everyone around him sighed with relief but he ignored them. How could he be of help to a powerful Gullwing? He hesitantly removed a sphere from his pocket and nodded slightly. It hadn't been tested yet, but it was the only way they would be able to get rid of that machina quickly…

-----

Rikku gasped and paused when she saw Paine unconscious on the floor. Baralai was trying to fight a massive, powerful looking machina while desperately struggling to give her a Phoenix Down. Yuna rushed ahead of Rikku and threw one at her fallen friend while beginning to change into Alchemist gear. Rikku gulped, memories of Vegnagun crossing her mind. Is this going to be like it? Just when everyone was settling down? It wasn't fair!

But you wanted this, adventure. Part of her realised. Yes she'd wanted adventure, but not one that would effect her friends! They deserved to be left alone!

"Huf e's syt!" (Now I'm mad!) She yelled running forth and striking out with her daggers. They clunked uselessly against its armour. "Yunie! We have to get it further away from the village!" She called as Yuna threw a lightning grenade. It had no effect whatsoever!

"Yeah, you're right! But how!" Rikku took a moment to glance at Paine who was now awake but looking weak, Baralai was helping her stand.

"Get her out of here!" Rikku yelled while changing to Black mage and casting Thundaga. It didn't even quiver from the force. Paine was protesting and trying to stand and fight but she collapsed again. Obviously this thing had really done a number on her that a phoenix down alone couldn't help. Baralai rushed her away before she could stop him and Yuna and Rikku were left alone. Yuna had shot at the thing and again found it had not penetrated the armour.

"Yuna!" Tidus called coming up beside them with his sword ready. "Leaving me out on the fun are we?" He said grinning. Yuna smiled back as she watched him slice at the machina. Again, no effect. "This one looks tough." They watched in horror as a puzzling sound came from the machina, as if it were scanning something. Rikku took the time to cast again and take in the machine's appearance.

It's mid section was bulged with thick armour that she doubted any weapon could pierce through. Two huge arms were expertly attached, ones that looked slow but she soon found very quick to react. It seemed to move about on wheels, a potential weakness. However this idea was soon squashed when she realised they were metal. If the arms weren't there she might have been able to crawl under and see if a spell in the gap of the wheels would damage some of the inside. But if she tried it would just hit her with the arms…

"Scanning." A robotic voice reported making Rikku shiver. "Identified, Tidus of Zanarkand. Potential target." An arm came up towards Tidus and before he could react had whacked him, knocking the wind from his body and throwing him back near the bridge. Luckily he landed on it and not in the waters below. Yuna gasped and began changing into White Mage dress sphere while the machina continued it's scanning. "Identified, High Summoner Yuna. Potential target." The other arm came and struck her before she finished changing and she flew back near Tidus. Rikku gasped.

"Hey! That's cheating! She yelled beginning to rapidly go through her dress spheres. From Black Mage to Alchemist to Berserker to Gun Mage. She hadn't even equipped her White Mage dress sphere! "Oh poopie!" She yelled pausing to throw two phoenix downs at the lovers before going to thief again. She froze slightly when she heard the robotic voice begin again. She quickly began changing to her Machina Maw…

"Identified, Rikku. Princess of the Al Bhed. Target" What? Not a potential target? What made her so different? The thought was forgotten when the arm began swinging down towards her, not aiming to knock her back but to crush her! The impact happened with a loud clang of metal on metal and Rikku suddenly remembered to breathe. She'd changed in time! Thank the fayth for that! "Searching for potential weakness" The voice reported causing Rikku to groan and steer her beloved machina towards the beach, away from the village and from Yuna and Tidus. Hopefully someone would find them while she distracted this thing.

The machina began to chase her and she whimpered slightly. Being alone was no fun, it was just scary. Soon this thing was going to catch her, and then what?

You'll die She told herself You can't defeat this thing alone.

"Weakness found, machina vulnerable to thunder element."

"Oh poopie." Rikku moaned as she heard a thunder spell being prepared. "Well, if I'm going down you're getting a fight first!"

Hope you like! I'll put chapter 3 up as soon as I get back! That one should be better cause Rikku and actually join forces. See you later!