Words left unspoken
Okay so I didn't realise I wouldn't start actual college till the 15th September so I got to write some more up. This chapter is kind of boring cause it's a filler chapter. Next one is better with lots of fluff, its going through my unofficial beta Starling right now
Marty: glad you liked the fluff, me happy now.
Skirty-embroidery: waves as well I just had to have that line Glad you like the intro I had fun writing it, who wouldn't when you can get in Gippal's head drools thanks for the good luck. Sorry about not explaining what the story was properly, I had tried to put a link up but only realised after our review that it hadn't worked so I went back and fixed it. It's a really good story, it had Paine in pink later on and Baralai dressed as a girl so funny.
Riyue: sorry if it was confusing, they're kind of suppose to be because Gippal is all confused and I wanted to make that clear somehow. Basically all of Gippal's weird flash dreams are memories which will all come up again later.
Crazy Katy: Noises are good, better than a awkward silence don't mind me I'm odd. As for the questions… 1) maybe 2) you'll see later 3) you'll see later. Lol sorry but if I told you it wouldn't be as exciting, that man is a big part of Gippal's past (you'll learn how in chapter 9) and so is a big part of the story. You'll learn more about him soon but why he hates Al Bhed is near the end of the story and hols a twist to it
Milkie: lol, yeah. But a different one would be more boring and half my plot would be gone poor Gippal having to suffer because of me hides from the Gippal fans
Anyway on with the boring chapter.
Where's my baby?
There is something about you Rikku that I never dared tell you before. You are so much like your mother. I know it doesn't seem like a big thing to tell someone but it always was for you. Your mother was like a goddess as far as we all knew, she was the queen of the Al Bhed. I guess you could say I loved her, I loved her for bringing you into the world. I loved her for understanding my past and not hating me because of it.
That's one of the reasons I never told you about the resemblance, because if I said it out loud to you I would realise just how true it was. My heart would win over my head and I'd tell you everything about my life before Home thinking you would forgive me like your mother did. And you might too, that's what I'm so afraid of. Because I should be punished for my past, for what I did. I should not be rewarded with the most beautiful woman in all of Spira. You don't deserve to be stuck with a murderer.
You always used to have this thing about honesty too. Something I have been mostly lacking in the day I met you. Every time you would mention how much you hated lying and secrets it made my heart sting and my eyes water. I wanted to tell you but I was so afraid, I was afraid I would lose you, afraid you would accept it all. I was just afraid of either response because I knew I didn't deserve either. I didn't deserve you and I didn't deserve to live without you. Death would have been a better option than to have you hate me for the proper reason. But I'm no death seeker, I never really was. Despite everything that once happened.
That's the good thing about living for the moment, you don't consider death as an option, cause it could happened anytime and it doesn't matter. Maybe Nooj should take a note out of my book. I'll have to tell him that later, must remember to do that.
Anyway, your mother forgave me when I told her but your father didn't. You've always been a mix of both of them. The beauty, cheerfulness and kindness of Lidea mixed with the determination, temper and hidden authority of Cid. Put them together and what do you get? My angel. My Rikku.
I remember when Lidea died just after I recovered from my own illness. She gave me three things and gave me strict instructions of when to pass them onto her daughter, you. The first was a locket with the image of Cid and Brother one side, you and her on the other. She said wait till your eighteenth because that's when you'll need it most.
The next was a sphere, one that I have never dared watch. It didn't seem right to peek at the thing when it was meant to be between a dead mother and her only daughter. I just couldn't. Amazing isn't it? I have some shred of decency somewhere within me. I wonder how many would believe me if I told them that? She told me that one was for your eighteenth too.
As for the third…not even in my head can I tell you that! My face went so red for so long after seeing that! Lance thought I'd got sunburnt instead of blushing as a teenage girl would. That was meant to be from me before I left Home. Lidea knew my plans to be in the Crusaders and she said if I didn't give it to you before I left she'd come and haunt me for the rest of my life. You must miss her so much Rikku, I miss her a lot and she wasn't even my relative.
She didn't come to haunt me though, even though part of me wanted her to. I could have convinced myself then she haunted me because she thought I was being stupid listening to Cid and giving up like that. But no one did haunt me and so I didn't question whether it had been wrong, even your dead mother knew it wasn't meant to be.
So that present stays with me for now. The others I will give to you like she told me. But never the third one, and never the remark that you and Lidea were so alike. I can't let my heart take control anymore, it did that for eight years and look what that caused! I love you Rikku but I can't let you make a choice about me, I have to chose now. And I chose to keep you away from pain, because that's all you would feel if you found out the truth of who Gippal really is.
Rikku opened her eyes slowly and stretched. She was on the floor of Wakka's and Lulu's house next to the bed Gippal had laid in…wait a minute. Where was he?
"Gippal?" She asked the empty tent as panic began to fill her. She climbed to her feet and looked outside the tent. Lulu was nearby not cradling Vidina like usual but instead having a chat with one of the remaining guests from the party. Rikku made her way over and opened her mouth to ask the question but Lulu stopped her.
"He's down at the beach, mostly everyone is. He insisted I let him baby sit for the rest of the day." Lulu said with a smirk. "Tell Wakka tea will be ready for everyone in two hours." Rikku nodded and made her way down towards the beach.
The man sighed heavily as he looked at the half finished machina. He just didn't have enough parts to finish. He would have to go get more parts.
"Dammit!" He yelled out and stamped to the wood's exit. He'd go to Mi'then, steal a hover and get the parts from…
A blitzball landed near his feet on the soft sand. Vidina giggled on his lap and reached a little hand out to touch it. Gippal smiled a rare truthful smile at the baby before grabbing the ball and letting Vidina whack it on the sand again with a chuckle. It was kind of scary that he felt so comfortable around the kid, he always thought he'd hate them. Damn, just when he realised he'd probably never settle down to have some of his own as well. Oh well, maybe he could baby sit…
"Hey! Are you goin' to throw that back kiddo?" Wakka demanded from further down the beach near the sea. Gippal had made sure to stay away from the water as much as possible with the excuse of Vidina, he didn't want the kid to drown. He picked up the ball again and passed it accurately to the former guardian. He'd never played blitz ball before but he'd learnt how to aim with a gun at a very young age.
Gippal sighed and gritted his teeth, it was nearing sunset in an hour or so and still the airship hadn't arrived. One of his men had told him Lance had set off the day before to come check on him, it only took an hour in Gippal's ship to reach here. Where was he?
Gippal subconsciously cuddled Vidina close to him not wanting to feel like this anymore. He'd almost lost Rikku not so long ago, he couldn't lose Lance too. Vidina made a noise that resembled a bored moan and Gippal laughed slightly. He rested the kid on his lap and bounced him about lightly which he was rewarded for with a happy laugh.
"Oui yna zicd duu lida get." (You are just too cute kid) He muttered allowing another rare honest smile to cross his lips. "E pad dra kenmc fuh'd mayja oui ymuha eh dfahdo oaync desa." (I bet the girls won't leave you alone in twenty years time)
"Hey! Don't be putting ideas in his head!" A familiar perky voice said behind him. He didn't bother turning around to greet her.
"You're just jealous that us two hot guys are going to be taken pretty soon." Gippal grinned when he heard her scoff at the comment and hit him lightly over the head before sitting beside him. "Sleep well Cid's girl?" He asked innocently.
"Not too badly." Rikku said suspiciously. "Why? What did you do?" Gippal looked at her then and paused slightly in bouncing Vidina to look at her properly. She'd obviously rushed down here because her hair was all messed up. She looked so…Don't go there stud.
"Hey, why would you think I did anything?" He asked with mock surprise beginning to lightly bounce Vidina again. "It's just that you were snoring so loud you could have woken me from a coma." He grinned at the deep blush and angry look that spread across her face.
"No I wasn't you meanie!" She said shoving him playfully and stealing Vidina from him. She sat there next to him rocking the baby close to her with a pout on her face. Man she looked so…
"Hey you two!" Yuna called with a giggle, Tidus was following her to their location as well. "Are you just going to sit there or are you going to blitz with us?" A grin spread across Rikku's face and she jumped to her feet dancing about with little Vidina. "Botta said he'd sit out with Vidina for a while."
"I wanna play!" Rikku yelled jumping about now. Gippal raised an eyebrow before achingly standing to his feet and taking the baby from her before she dropped him.
"You go ahead and I'll sit it out." Gippal told her with a cocky look. "I was never much of a sports person in the first place." Rikku stopped dancing then and looked at him with a glare. His grin wavered and he moved about nervously. Rikku really could glare when she wanted to. He watched her turn fully towards him with arms crossed and looking deadly serious.
"Okay, what's wrong with you?"
"Huh? Nothing's up with me Cid's girl." Gippal told her expertly while ruffling her already messy hair.
"Gippal." She said sternly earning curious looks from Tidus, Yuna and Wakka. Gippal just turned his back to her and cradled the baby close to him. "Cut the rubbish okay? You're all anxious and you never get like that unless something is really bothering you." He just shrugged at her and moved about nervously trying to escape her glare. However Rikku was unusually patient to wait for an answer and had her usual stubbornness mixed with that glare. Gippal sighed and sat back down on the sand.
"It's just…my baby should be here by now." He muttered looking up at them. He didn't realise how his words sounded until after he saw the reactions. Tidus and Yuna stood there looking completely shocked, Paine and Baralai wandered over making it known they'd been eavesdropping. Wakka gave a slight chuckle before Gippal handed Vidina back over. Rikku's was the best. Her face had a mixture of anger, jealousy and embarrassment all in one while she turned bright red. Gippal couldn't help but laugh.
"What do ya mean kiddo?" Wakka asked while rocking his son lightly. "You call your girl that or is she expecting?" This just made Gippal laugh harder as he clutched his sides, they hurt from him laughing so hard. Man, he hadn't laughed like this in a long time.
"Spira's sake Gippal were you talking about your ship!" Rikku yelled her face still red but now filled mostly with rage. Gippal snorted and nodded his head trying to calm down. He saw Baralai chuckle slightly and Paine raise an eyebrow.
"Same old Gippal with his machina." She muttered before heading back to her original spot. Baralai followed too before anyone tried to convince him to join in the blitzball game.
"You are so mean Gippal!" Rikku yelled turning her back on him and standing her foot in the sand. Gippal rolled his eyes and climbed to his feet. Was she jealous? Nah, probably just angry that he made her look stupid.
"Ah come on Cid's girl I didn't mean it to sound like that. Like Dr. P said 'same old Gippal with his machina'." The imitation of Paine had cracked a smile on her beautiful face and Gippal was grateful Rikku never stayed mad at him for long.
"Why are you worried about your ship anyway?" Yuna asked causing the smile to waver on Gippal's face. Unfortunately for him Rikku noticed this before he'd replaced it with a usual smirk.
"I'm not that worried to be honest, they're just probably taking a detour or something. Always looking for a chance to slack off a bit." Gippal told her while wandering near to where Baralai and Paine sat. He heard Baralai groan and his grin widened. The praetor knew Gippal too well to suspect what was coming. "So, when's the wedding?" This earned him a hard shove from Paine that sent a shot of pain through his aching body. It was definitely worth it though when he noticed her blush slightly. So he had been right about them!
"Injured or not he's still a brat." Nooj muttered as he shuffled onto the beach with LeBlanc by his side. Gippal cocked his head slightly at the two and smiled. Nooj had just dug his own grave.
"What about you Noojster?" Gippal asked loudly. "Are you going to…" The remark died on his lips when he saw three of his men moving sorrowfully onto the beach. The others had noticed his distraction and watched the approaching men.
"Yho hafc?" (Any news?) Gippal asked while chewing on his bottom lip. They shook their heads. Gippal chose to ignore the curious stares he was now getting from everyone within hearing range.
"Ed'c paah ymsucd y fruma tyo huf yht drao'na hud yhcfanehk lussihelydeuhc." (It's been almost a whole day now and they're not answering communications) One man said gravely. Gippal just nodded with his head down. "Yht fa cdemm haat dra axiebsahd ed fyc pnehkehk du bnudald dra jemmyka." (And we still need the equipment it was bringing to protect the village)
"What are they saying?" Baralai asked his girlfriend. Gippal sent a rare glare in his direction.
" Fa lyh'd fyed vun druca cibbmeac, fa ryja du yccisa dra funca vun dra yencreb. E fyhd dra nasyehehk daysc uh dra puyd du Kilika. Drana'c uha mayjehk eh yh ruin. Rayt du Djose du kad ar byndc fa haat. Ev dra creb ech'd rana eh dfu tyoc E'mm vummuf oui yht mayja y fydlrat rana fedr cusa udran cdivv." (We can't wait for those supplies, we have to assume the worse for the airship. I want the remaining teams on the boat to Kilika. There's one leaving in an hour. Head to Djose to get eh parts we need. If the ship isn't here in two days I'll follow you and leave a watched here with some other stuff.) His men nodded in understanding and went off to follow his command, too unsure to offer comfort over Lance.
"Supplies?" Rikku asked. Gippal smiled slightly putting a hand on a hip before turning to Wakka.
"I can understand you'd want to keep your Island from machina but with it being under threat I'd like to put some on guard here. I was planning on something unnoticeable and very powerful but without the right parts I can't build it. For the moment I can rewrite some of the rouge machina and have a watcher circle the village until I can make the better one." He saw Wakka chew his lip in distaste. "You can say no to wither if you want. I just wanted to keep this place safe until I can find out who did this."
"Until we find out." Rikku said firmly with her arms crossed. "If this person wants me as a target I wanna target them!" Gippal chuckled and messed up her hair again.
"Fair enough Cid's girl, you can tag along. You could prove useful." He teased grabbing her in a light headlock.
"Hey! Lemme go!" She whined only half struggling to get free. A laugh erupted from Wakka and he lightly slapped Gippal on the back. Gippal winced slightly but didn't complain.
"Tell you what kid, you can put your machina here for now as long as you look after Rikku for all of us."
"No problem." Gippal said as Rikku finally managed to wriggle out of his grip and put on a pout.
"I can look after myself!"
"Yeah we know." Wakka told her taking his turn to mess up her hair. "But I'd feel happier if he watched out for you." He glanced over at Gippal and the two men nodded in a hidden understanding.
"Hey! What about me?" Yuna complained. "I want to help too!"
"You always do, that's your flaw." Paine muttered.
"This isn't your problem." Gippal agreed. "You already took care of Sin and Venagun. This is an Al Bhed problem."
"He's right Yunie." Rikku told her cousin. "Only an Al Bhed could have made that machina and if you took sides it would put you in more danger. You deserve a life away from this now."
"But if me and Tidus stay here we'll endanger Besaid!" She insisted stubbornly. "That thing said we were a potential target so this person wants us too!" Gippal groaned, he hadn't thought of that. He must be losing his touch.
"Ur buubea cra'c nekrd!" (Oh poopie she's right!) Rikku complained stamping her foot. "Ed'c hud vyen!" (It's not fair!)
"They'd be safe at Djose." Gippal told her trying to keep her happy. "It's well protected there."
"But what about the others? We don't know how many are targets! Didn't your Faction find the main chip when they took it to Djose?"
"They said it wasn't there so it must have been destroyed.." He paused frowning slightly. A memory came into his mind.
"Cred!" He yelled dropping the screwdriver and grabbing hold of the core trying to yank it out with brute strength. Only one corner was still held and with as he concentrated his rage to strength. It came lose in his hands sending an electric shock through his body. He screamed in pain but it didn't stop him grabbing a small chip from the core and placing it in his pocket before the arm hit him…
"You okay kid? You look kinda pale." Gippal smiled with a cocky grin while digging around in his pocket.
"I blocked the memory out before but when I was electrocuted I pulled the chip from the core to stop it getting destroyed." He produced said chip and handed it to Rikku while he continued looking hi pockets. "The rubber of my gloves should have stopped the voltage effecting it, then after that it was safe in my pocket." He paused when he found what else he'd been looking for and watched Rikku inspecting the chip.
"It seems okay to me!" Rikku said with a happy grin. "HOw do we find out what's on it?"
"With this baby." Gippal smirked holding up his own designed dress sphere. Rikku's grin faded and was replaced with a frown. "What?"
"You can't use that! It drains the energy from the person who wears it!"
"So? I have potions." What was the big deal? "You use that Dark Knight one and that hurts you."
"You haven't recovered properly yet! Someone else should do it."
"They don't know what to do in order to access the chip." Gippal pointed out.
"Well you can just access it some other way!" Rikku told him firmly.
"There isn't another quick way!"
"Well we won't be leaving for another two days so it doesn't really matter. Now hand it over!"
"Hu!" (No!) Gippal yelled stubbornly crossing his arms after replacing the sphere in his pocket. People around them were laughing slightly at his humiliation but he tried to ignore them. Rikku smiled then knowing how much this was damaging his ego.
"Aw come on Gippy! Does mummy have to give you a smack for this?" Gippal knew full well everyone was expecting him to turn this to an advantage, even Rikku was expecting this. Never use the threat of a smack with no real specifying to where it would be directed.
However when his mother was mentioned he flinched openly and three the sphere at Rikku's feet before skulking off.
"I think you hit a spot there kid." Wakka mumbled to Rikku.