Words left unspoken
Sorry about the long wait, but it couldn't be helped. Wanna know why? Well, it took me a week to figure out how to start writing the chapter (on paper), then I finished it in three and a bit days. Then that afternoon in my English lesson I got really dizzy and almost passed out. And I was badly ill for a whole week! Better now, but my internet protection has run out, so I'm risking a lot posting this up. But I had to; I wanted to post it up on the birthday. Lol, eighteen now, I'm getting old.
Anyway hope you like! It's fast moving because it's a battle, so I hope it's not confusing because of it. The first part of the epilogue has already been written and typed up, ready to post. And I'm writing the last chapter now, which shouldn't be too long. I'll be posting them as soon as my internet problem is sorted out.
Oh yeah, and Shakai, you know me too well! The reason I'm doing the epilogue in two parts is because of my weird thing about odd numbers. I can't stand them sometimes, and so the epilogue is in two parts so the chapters will end in an even number. Don't ask me why I hate them so much, they just really bug me. But at least you get an extra chapter because of it!
Anyway, enjoy!
Doodle: thanks! Sorry for the delay.
iironiiccliiche: glad you liked it! hope you like this one too, Gippal gets to fight on his own.
FairyIce: Glad you liked her thoughts, I try hard with them. And I hope you like the action in this one!
mushimars: lol, me too, I couldn't resist doing that. Glad you like!
Crystalz Tearz: Thanks!
Shakai: lol, I kept picturing the accent when writing this! It was so weird! And yeah, it was the even number thing, lol, you know me too well! Thanks for your review! It made me laugh!
Jezzi: Oh yeah.
babiixwolf: that would be cool! A ffx-2 movie –daydreams- lol. No, mini-machs weren't in the game, I made them up. Sorta, I got the idea from mini-bots in this series called Andromeda, except they didn't make things turn visible again. Anyway, thanks for the review!
rikku-thief: lol, I feel loved! Thaks for the awesome review, my ego inflated, lol. The sequel is being planned out, so I hope you like it! It will have more romance/angst rather than action though.
kairiyuna14 (first review): lol, because I'm a sayhea. I'm to the poor characters too. update, yay! Love your story!
atcw 1210 (first review): me neither! I love writing this, I don't want to stop, lol, hence the sequel. Cool! An Amanda! That's my middle name, lol, but most of the time I don't even get called my first, just my nickname granny…it's a long story on how I got that.
Kotono116: Thanks, I like experimenting with the dresspheres, its fun to do seen as they aren't just stuck with one like the other games. Thanks! That means a lot, I love the pairing. And I'm gald your back! –Hugs-
atcw 1210 (second review): I LOVE YOUUUU! THANK YOU SO MUCH! MUHAHAHAHA! NO MEGA TONBERRY IS SAFE NOW! I KICK THEIR BUTTS! –ahem- lol, sorry. But thank you!
asga: Thanks, me too. I like putting the chapter title into the actual chapter.
atcw 1210 (third review): You're a real gem! Thank you so much! –praises at your feet-
kairiyuna14 (second review): okay, I'm so sorry about the delay! The epilogue will be up as soon as my internet is back to normal.
Kerry: Thanks! I hope you like this chapter too!
rikkukirst: Glad you like! Yep, there's definitely a sequel. A baby…lol, I might just put one in for you. Enjoy!
Becoming Him
There's this technique I learnt over the years, one where you shut down your emotions, push them deep down and carry on with what must be done. It's never been so hard to do than this moment.
Twelve years…he's haunted me for twelve years, me out of his grasp yet never out of his manipulation. Nothing has ever struck fear into me like he can, not even Sin. He was my childhood nightmare, my boogey man.
Not that I had much of a childhood, not until I met you Rikku. You helped me come alive, because before I met you I was just a bundle of fear and nothing more. Now look at me, I'm still afraid, but I can face it head on instead of running away. I don't even need help, not really.
You're just my moral support. Honest.
But still I'm here, and I don't have an adult to console my nightmares and persuade me my fear isn't real, or that it's a wasted fear. Because it's right in front of me, my parent; me, in a way. Because what I fear the most is becoming him, which is about to happen.
I'm either going to die, or become him, become a murderer. But it has to be done; I can't put it off any longer. I just hope we can both live with it afterwards, and that it won't drive us apart. Can you bear to be touched by a murderer Rikku? …I guess we'll see once this is all over.
I couldn't tell you what I was planning, as far as you know we are bringing him back alive. But I can't, because if I do he'll still be haunting me, I'll never feel safe. I'll never feel you are safe. And I can't live like that. Not anymore.
So here we are, my girlfriend fighting off the machina menace of this month, and me facing my father. Facing myself. How will it end? How will we survive once this is all over? Can we survive it? I'm sick of just surviving, I want to live. I want to live a life where we don't have to worry about surviving. I want to be happy with you. But if I go through with this I can't.
But I can't turn back now. I can't stop surviving.
I refuse to lose to him, not after all these years. Not after all the pain and scars he gave me. But if I lose the fear of him, I could end up losing you instead. Because I'll still be a fighter; a survivor. And that's not what you want right now. You want to live a life of peace. Will I be able to ever stop fighting? I've been fighting all my life. And I won't stop. Not even now.
And that's why I couldn't tell you I'm going to kill him. I have to keep fighting, and I know I'll lose you for that. But I can't let him live.
I won't give him the chance to hurt you.
I won't be weak. I'm…I'm not a kid anymore. I won't be manipulated.
…Not even by you Rikku.
I'm sorry…
But I have to survive.
"Yuna! We still have another ten minutes!" Tidus reminded her as his fiancée began to make her way up the mountain path.
"It will be past those ten minutes by the time we reach them." Yuna pointed out, not even pausing in her rush to look back. Tidus sighed and saw Paine smirk.
"Well, we might as well go after her." The crimson eyed warrior shrugged, beginning to slowly follow. Tidus sighed, scratching his head and giving Baralai a bewildered look.
"She'll never change." He muttered, causing the praetor to chuckle.
"I know what you mean."
Rikku was vaguely aware of Gippal running beside her one minute, and then the next she was alone after striking at the machina with a well aimed Dismantler bullet.
It proved enough to make the machina pause with any counter attack, so Rikku moved back out of range, waiting for the next opportunity to attack. Her mind wanted to wander to thoughts of Gippal, but she wouldn't allow it. He has to face him alone. Just like I have to fight this by my self.
"Rikku byo yddahdeuh!" (Rikku pay attention!) Her father ordered from his safe place on the Celsius deck. "Red ed frema ed'c tecdnyldat!" (Hit it while it's distracted!)
Distracted by what?Rikku thought, but then noticed the machina's behaviour; it had paused not because she'd struck it, but because Cameo was distracted from controlling it.
Gippal…
Rikku shook away the thought and aimed her gun again, towards the dent she'd created by her two previous bullets. It wasn't much, but it was all she could strategise would work. She fired with a 'booya!' watching the bullet bounce off the dent and drop to the floor.
"Oops, forgot to use Dismantler bullets." She said sheepishly. Maybe I am still distracted by a certain someone…
"RIKKU SUJA!" (RIKKU MOVE!)
Cameo had run when Gippal had thrown the potion bottle in the air. He'd actually run like a coward! How dare he make me do this! Cameo snarled. I refuse to lose.
He stopped running once he'd reached his destination, the chamber of the fayth room. It was a large enough room for the confrontation which would inevitably happen. Finally a battle between good and evil; saviour and traitor; father and son.
But first…
Cameo smirked, turning back to face the way Gippal would soon enter before pulling out the control of his machina. He wouldn't be able to control it manually while Gippal fought him, so he would have to enable its basic programming.
"Kill the girl." He muttered as he enabled the order. He would kill Gippal in more ways than one. He would make sure his lover died too.
With that Cameo chuckled, dropping the control onto the floor and smashing it with his foot. No one would be able to stop it now. It would continue until the girl was dead. Not even Gippal could save her, not anymore.
"No more running, you won't escape this time." Came a familiar voice. Cameo smirked, looking up at his son.
"Why would I want to run? I was just merely making sure it was my battlefield." He grinned, clicking his fingers. He saw Gippal tense as a loud wail echoed through the room, and a large fiend dropped down between them…
The machina swiped out at her so suddenly Rikuu didn't know how to react. How had it moved so fast? Its arm came crashing down on her head, meeting Gippal's barrier but still causing enough damage for her head to explode with pain.
Its…I…
"Rikku!" Her father's voice interrupted, making her realise she had to dodge another attack. It wasn't even pausing, it just kept moving…
My head…
"Tyshed mayja ran ymuha!" (Damnit leave her alone!) Cid yelled, running off the deck. Rikku groaned as she jumped back away from the machina. Cid wasn't going to be much help.
Her thoughts were interrupted as the machina once again followed her, waving its deadly arms at her, constantly knocking against Gippal's barrier. If she'd had time Rikku would have wondered how the barrier had lasted so long, and remained while Gippal was so far away, but she didn't have time to wonder. Not unless she wanted to give up dodging.
Gippal where are you? I need help!
Another blow barely dodged…
I need you…
She cried out in pain as an arm caught her in the stomach, too powerful for the barrier to absorb all the impact.
I-I can't fight alone…
She couldn't move now, couldn't bring herself to climb to her feet. She was alone now. Gippal had left her. He…he lied. They weren't together in this.
Gippal…
The machina loomed over, seeming to pause a moment to acknowledge its victory.
And then that damn arm hit her again…
Gippal couldn't help but shiver with dread as he gazed at the extremely large Claret Dragon. He'd seen a fiend like this before in the farplane…but not as big or…
"I found this fiend a few months ago, using one of the many holes in the fayth chambers to collect its egg. It's extremely rare. You see, I'm sure you're aware that fiends are the angry spirits of those who refuse to move on. But every so often, a fiend can be born as if any other animal. It's extremely rare, but possible. And I found one such rareness. With my alchemy, I altered it a little, making it even stronger, although I admit it was incredibly strong before the alterations too." Cameo smirked.
Gippal could only manage a grimace as a comment. Not only was this thing gigantic…
…it had wings, actual wings!
He'd never seen a Claret Dragon with wings before.
Oh fayth I'm dead…
"No cocky remark? How disappointing." Cameo laughed.
That did it. Gippal made a snarling noise, his blood beginning to boil. How he hated that man, the man who always found a way to make him afraid, to make him weak.
…No more.
"Shut your trap and let me fight it. Or are you afraid to lose your precious rat?" Gippal growled, firing off a Killasaurous bullet at the dragon's side. It didn't even flinch.
"You have your mother's spirit." Cameo muttered; a hint of admiration in his voice before his cold mask was back. Gippal felt himself hesitate then. The man had sometimes shown a hint of a person beneath the killer, but it would never fully resurface. Yet…if he killed the man, he would kill any chance that Cameo would live once more.
Stop it; you know it will never happen. Cameo is dead…
Now I know why mother could never kill him, she saw it too.
"Lost your nerve?" The man questioned, and Gippal replaced his uncertainty with anger, pushing all other emotions deep down within him. He couldn't stop now, not when he'd abandoned Rikku to finish this. The man smirked and gave another click, and the monstrous creation leapt towards Gippal.
Cid cursed loudly as he ran towards the machina standing over his daughter. She was unconscious, that he could see, yet the machina wasn't stopping, it kept attacking her barrier.
It won't stop till it kills her…
"KAD UVV RAN OUI PYCDYNT SYLREHY!" (GET OFF HER YOU BASTARD MACHINA!) Cid yelled, striking his knife into the dented part of its armour. The knife stayed stuck in place, yet the machina didn't even acknowledge its existence, just prepared another attack on Rikku. "Damnit what do I do?" He sighed, taking out his gun, blocking his daughter from the machina's view and firing continuously. The machina did nothing, just appeared to be waiting until Cid had finished.
These bullets won't last for long. Cid grimaced, ceasing his firing and instead grabbing hold of the knife hilt wedged in the machina's armour, trying to pull it out. The machina took the opportunity to use its left arm to begin striking round Cid at Rikku again.
"E dumt oui du cdub dryd!" (I told you to stop that!) Cid screamed, giving up on his useless task and kicking the machina in his frustration. He immediately howled in pain at the action. Running out of ideas, he did the only thing he could think of…
He gently sat on his daughter.
"Dno yht yddylg ran huf oui beala uv clnyb!" (Try and attack her now you piece of scrap!) The machina paused again, obviously trying to compute what to do. It wasn't in its basic programming to know what to do when its target was being sat on by a stubborn Al Bhed.
But Cid knew it wouldn't take long for it to conclude that it should dispose of the one stupid enough to stand in its way.
…And he had no idea what he would do when that moment came.
Garik had reached the Summit before he'd finally turned back towards Zanarkand. He respected this Gippal, but he didn't trust him to rid the Ronso of this troublesome man. Besides, he didn't feel like going to find the High Summoner Yuna and then having to come back again.
"Thanks for the help blue guy; I'll take it from here." The Al bhed said, Garik just grunted.
"Garik stays near."
"…Hey, I know you don't do favours, but could you just hold onto this and give it to Yuna when you get back?" The AL Bhed asked, handing him a strange looking weapon. "She'll need it to help Rikku when she gets here. Just tell her to aim and press."
Garik grunted at the memory and examined the weapon in his hand. It was the strange weapon the Al Bhed had first been holding when Kimahri had saved him from the metal bird. Garik didn't like it. But if it would stop the man by using it, he would.
"Elder Kimahri will be proud of Garik." He muttered. He was unwilling to admit his admiration for the Elder to any other, but alone Garik would admit it to the mountain. "Garik do his part now."
Gippal didn't have much room to dodge, which he quickly realised was why the man had set up the battle here. He was just thankful his barrier was still active to take most of the attack's impact. Damn dragon.
"Having fun yet?" Cameo laughed, clicking his fingers so the dragon would leap again.
You rely too much on giving the orders. Gippal seethed silently, an idea beginning to form in his mind. The Claret Dragon was tough, that much was obvious, but its master was still just a vulnerable human…
This will either kill me or save us all. I hope.
Gippal dropped and rolled before he could change his mind, barely missing being squashed. He aimed his gun at the man and fired.
Two things happened in the next moment, the first was Gippal hearing a cry of pain from his father, and the other was his own cry when a claw penetrated his barrier and tore at his back.
…He was aware that his eye had closed, but he didn't know if it were for just a moment or much, much longer. But he was dimly aware of the pain in his back, and of someone groaning across the room.
He's still alive.
There was a growl from the dragon, now nervously shuffling about, not knowing what to do. Gippal took the chance to discreetly use an X-potion and wait for the shock of the impact to wear off. If he was going to kill the dragon it had to be before Cameo recovered enough to heal himself.
But the bullets don't work.
Gippal sighed, climbing to his feet while changing from Gun Mage dressphere back to his original Alchemy one.
If the man had created this thing using alchemy then that's how Gippal would end it.
This had to be a new astounding moment for Spira's history. Never before had Cid heard anything like it happening, and he had seen a lot in his lifetime. This…was just something else.
…A staring competition between man and machina.
"Tyshed, oui tuh'd haat du pmehg!" (Damnit, you don't need to blink!) Cid complained, trying not to let his eyes wander and instead checking Rikku's breathing using his hand and his hearing.
The worst thing was, as well as being Cid scared to death for his daughter, he was also insanely bored. Those were two emotions you should never experience at the same time.
This is one dumb machine, obviously Cameo hadn't prepared for me to mess up his plan.
Five minutes later and Cid almost wished it would go back to randomly killing. Almost.
"Owie." He heard Rikku mutter, and he sighed with relief. "E lyh'd pnaydra!" (I can't breathe!)
"Cunno so kenm, pid E lyh'd suja fedruid ed yddylgehk oui." (Sorry my girl, but I can't move without it attacking you.) Cid pointed out, trying not to fall of her due to her fidgeting. "Gaab cdemm fuimt oy!" (Keep still would ya!)
"E's dnoehk du kad y budeuh!" (I'm trying to get a potion!) Rikku snapped back, muttering under her breath for a while. Cid just grunted, hearing his daughter sigh with relief as the potion engulfed her and returned her much needed energy.
"Fryd'c ed tuehk?" (What's it doing?) She asked quietly, as though if she were quiet enough then the machina would leave.
"Cameo can't control it directly anymore so he's programmed it to fall on basic orders. That order is to kill you, no one else. So when I block ya, its gotten confused enough to stop and analyse what to do. It ain't got the greatest programming; Cameo was just focusing on its outer armour."
"…But it will conclude to attack any in its way eventually. What do we do?" Rikku asked, now fidgeting out of fear.
"I…I don't know." Cid sighed. "I just don't…"
"Hey! Did you stick that dagger in it? If we pull it out then…"
"Already tried that; it's stuck fast." Rikku sighed at hearing this, muttering a 'poopie' and something sounding like 'disasterific'.
"Gippal's barrier has worn off because I was knocked unconscious." She muttered mostly to herself. "But if I change into Berserker and dodge it enough…maybe, just maybe."
"Oi, what are you planning?" Cid interrupted, turning slightly to see her changing dresspheres. Apparently he'd turned too much, because that's when the machina sprung to life once more. "Whoa!"
Rikku wasted no time apologising for knocking him over; she concentrated on dodging the machina which was in full pursuit again.
"Cmuf tufh fuimt oui?" (Slow down would you?) She complained breathlessly, jumping off a rubble pile which was crushed flat seconds later. At this rate she'd never be able to get close enough.
A flash of blue in the corner of her eye almost made her stop. What now? She jumped back as far as she could and paused long enough to see Garik press the button on Gippal's weapon and have the end hooks wind round the machina's neck.
"Quick! Press the other button!" Rikku yelled, the Ronso grumbled darkly, but she still saw the electricity begin to pass down the wires…
The machina paused for a moment, and then sprinted toward Rikku once more, she didn't escape without being hit that time, and her arm definitely had made a cracking noise.
"Rikku!" Cid yelled. "Keep moving girl!"
Easy for you to say. She seethed through her pain, running towards the airship. She had a plan, one even Gippal would be proud of. I'll show you…
"Fryd eh pmywac yna oy tueh'!" (What in blazes are ya doin'!) Cid screamed at her. Rikku ignored him, continuing to run round and round the airship.
"Bubc! E haat oui du kad du dra pnetka yht ubah dra ryhkan tuun! HUF!" (Pops! I need you to get to the bridge and open the hanger door! NOW!) Cid didn't bother arguing, he waited until the machina had passed them before beginning to climb up the airship's side. It wasn't proving easy.
"Tysh." (Damn) He cursed. Garik stood watching them, having let go of Gippal's weapon long ago so as not to be dragged across the floor. The Ronso blinked at how strange this Al Bhed race were proving to be before moving to help Cid up the Celsius.
While Rikku was busy running around in circle, Gippal was finding himself running in a…a triangle shape.
No matter which direction he tried to run the Claret Dragon would swoop from the sky in front of him and he'd have to change directions, usually the patterns made up a triangle shape.
This is ridiculous.
Cameo (who was safely in the middle of the triangle) still hadn't moved much, and seemed to be bleeding. That made Gippal feel a little better, but not much. Gippal had tried a few times to lead the dragon towards its master so it could accidentally squish him, but this proved impossible.
Gippal gave up the idea of his original plan and instead pulled out one of Lance's weapons; a flying metal disc. He stumbled to pull out a potion mix, but it was too hard to do while running.
Screw it. Gippal thought, and sat down on the floor.
This proved enough of an insane action to confuse the dragon for a few precious moments. After all, who would just sit down when they should continue running for their lives?
Its hesitation allowed Gippal to pour the potion mix on his knife, the disc and on a dozen bullets before the dragon began diving at him. He was more than ready.
Gippal may not have had a great aim like his foster father, but then again the dragon was pretty close. He threw the disc, hitting the dragon's left eye and delaying its attack a few seconds more while it roared in pain.
Gippal loaded his gun as quickly as possible and fried off without pausing, aiming to puncture the wings so flying would no longer be possible. The dragon roared in pain again, and Gippal felt a pang of remorse.
This isn't like other fiends, it's an actual creature…
One that's trying to kill me.
There was a loud earthquake-like rumble as the dragon fell, one that caused Gippal to flinch. But he wasted no time, the dragon wasn't dead yet.
He discarded his gun and raced towards the dragon who was stilling letting out a mournful cry as it clambered to its feet. It was definitely a fighter.
"Forgive me." Gippal whispered as he slashed out with his knife…
…The next thing he was aware of was having the wind knocked out of him and landing on his back. His armour absorbed most of the impact, but it still hurt.
I forgot about that stupid tail. He realised, looking over at the smug smile now on the dragon's face; a smile just like its masters. Clever bugger.
"Remarkable isn't he?" The man's voice cut in, although sounding in pain…and very, very pissed off. Gippal heard his fingers click and sighed, stumbling to his feet.
This battle was far from over.
"There!" Cid grinned as the hanger door was lowered; thankfully when the machina had rammed the airship earlier it hadn't affected it. "Now what?" He shouted through the speakers.
"Close them again when I tell you!" Rikku didn't bother listening to the curses that followed, but forced her tired body into a sprint, willing the aching muscles to obey.
Please…She begged, circling the airship for, hopefully now, the last time. And then she saw it, the back of the machina in front of her. She'd caught up, and Gippal's weapon was near her feet, bouncing off the ground as the machina moved.
With a silent 'Woohoo!' Rikku picked it up and concentrated on keeping up her speed. Then she saw they were coming closer to the hanger.
"Now pops now!" She screamed ensuring the machina's attention as it spun around. She ignored it and threw the weapon at the hanger, sighing in relief as the door closed, the weapon now inside.
The machina was moving towards her, but was soon restrained by the wires of the weapon still around its neck. Rikku couldn't help but sigh in relief.
I hope it can hold a while. She silently begged.
"Pops get down here!" She commanded; waiting five minutes before a cursing Cid reached her side. By that time, to her undying horror, the machina had strained so hard a crunching noise had been heard from the hanger door. Rikku had visibly flinched at hearing it.
"Damn, what is that weapon of Gippal's made of?" Cid half growled, half praised.
"You can ask him later. First you have to pull your knife out."
"Fryd? Fro sa?" (What? Why me?) Cid whined, sounding a lot like his son.
"If I get near it will attack me." Rikku pointed out, poking him in the chest with a finger.
"I've already tried pulling it out. It's stuck!"
"Garik will help." The Ronso interrupted, surprising them both.
"Um, well, sure." Rikku babbled, watching as the Ronso walked up to the machina that was still thrashing about. He paused only to cast Mighty Guard before quickly moving, yanking the knife out a moment before he has thrown back to the Al Bhed's position.
"Oh fayth are you okay?" Rikku asked, pouring an X-potion on the Ronso.
"Garik had better days." The Ronso admitted; extending the knife towards her while he climbed to his feet.
"Thanks." Rikku grinned, looking back at the machina and squealing. Cid was beginning to think she'd been hit too many times that day for her own good. "Look! It's penetrated the armour! Now one of the hooks on Gippal's weapon can get through and fry the inside!"
"…Ya mean the weapon trapped in the hanger door?" Cid moaned. RIkku just laughed.
"Pops, we're gonna win!"
And naturally that's the moment the hanger door gave up under the pressure and fell open, releasing the machina.
Gippal couldn't help but notice the connection, the reality of the Claret Dragon. It was being manipulated by the man, just as he was once manipulated. And yet he had to kill it.
…That is, if he ever got the chance.
He had been dodging the dragon for a while now; both glad and angry that it could no longer fly. It was too risky to get too close, and he'd not bothered to pick up his gun after his earlier attack.
Probably the dumbest thing he could have possible done.
But there was an upside to this, the dragon was now blind on its left side, and Gippal was planning to use that.
Just like people do with me. He realised, rolling under the dragon to avoid its tail. He sliced at its belly and scrambled out as fast as possible to avoid being trampled on. Luckily he had made sure to come out on its left side.
"E's cunno." (I'm sorry.) Gippal muttered to it before slicing off its deadly claw. He was unprepared for the blood, fiends didn't usually bleed; they were just pyreflies. But this was real; this was a life he was taking.
Again Gippal pushed all doubt and guilt to the back of his mind as he pulled out a potion mix, throwing it at the dragon's head. The bottle broke and the liquid fizzed on the dragon's skin, making it howl out in agony. A sound Gippal would never forget.
He tried to put it out of its misery but couldn't get close without losing his own life. In the end it was the overwhelming shock from the pain which granted it the mercy of death. Gippal had never felt so awful for taking a life. He felt like he'd murdered himself.
And I have, I'm a murderer like him now.
"That was overly cruel." Came Cameo's voice in the deafening silence. He didn't sound victorious, he just sounded hurt and tired. "It didn't deserve such an end."
"Those people you killed never deserved such an end either." Gippal countered, not raising above a murmured whisper. The dragon wasn't disappearing; its presence remained as it to torture him.
"I saved them, I tried to save you." Cameo told him.
"…You can't honestly believe that, can you?" The silence that fell tore through Gippal's heart; already the organ knew what was coming. "Let's just get this over with."
"Yes, you betrayed me; you must die for that and be damned." The man said; the cold voice back. Gippal sighed, staring down at the blood covering him before turning to face his father.
And a moment later, both began to attack.
"Whoa!" Rikku shouted in shock, jumping back. She was getting tired of dodging, too tired. "Bubc fuimt oui rinno ib!" (Pops would you hurry up!)
"E lyh'd knyp uhdu dra tysh faybuh frah ed'c sujehk cu vycd!" (I can't grab onto the damn weapon when it's moving so fast!)
But I'm so tired…
She cried in surprise as she tripped on a loose piece of rubble, landing on her broken arm. Well, maybe he can grab onto it while I'm being pulverised.
"Rikku move!"
Too tired…The arm was coming down again…
…And a flash of blue stopped it. A protect barrier.
"Huh?"
"Rikku!" Yuna's voice called. "Quickly!"
"Yunie!" Rikku yelled, bursting into a smile as she leaped out of the way. "Am I glad to see you!"
"E'ja kud ed!" (I've got it!) Cid shouted out proudly.
"Bicr dra namayca pidduh oui eteud!" (Push the release button you idiot!) Rikku laughed, watching as the wires loosened around the machina's neck and left altogether.
"Here Rikku!" Yuna called again as a Curaga spell engulfed her cousin. Rikku grinned, flexing her arm about happily.
"Alright pops, when I make it face your way shoot okay?" She didn't give him a chance to argue, because she leaped up over the machina so it changed direction, and then she crouched, out of the way.
The shot was perfectly aimed and the hook was securely through the armour, but…
Bubc tuh'd tnub ed!" (Pops don't drop it!) Rikku groaned.
"Dra tysh drehk crulgat sa!" (The damn thing shocked me!) Cid complained. Rikku just rolled her eyes and dodged out of the way as the machina struck out again. She would never understand how Cid had united the Al Bhed race when he was such a wimp.
"Hurry!" She whined; turning away from them so she could concentrate on dodging.
It was then the most unlikely person of the group decided to do what his father couldn't…or perhaps he just wanted to see what his sworn enemy Gippal had made. Either way it was Brother who pushed the button for the machina to be fried.
No machina invention could survive such a frying to its systems. Thank the fayth.
"…Well." Tidus spoke after a few minutes of shocked silence. "I guess it was just their family who had to fight it. Cid, Rikku, Yuna to heal…and Brother to…" His laughter disguised what he wanted to say, but everyone understood it enough to welcome the much needed laugh.
"Our family rocks!" Rikku laughed. Her father and brother just gave her an odd look.
"Well, its definitely not getting a comeback." Paine announced as she finished examining the machina. "I doubt you'd be able to salvage any of it." Everyone gave her a bemused look which she just shrugged off. "I've been studying machina a little these past three months."
"Well anyway…" Rikku began. "This tin can might be finished with but Gippal's still fighting the man. We should go help out." Everyone nodded at this, not about to object when a friend might be in danger.
Well, except one person.
"Fa'na hud kuehk yhofrana ihdem oui damm sa fryd rybbahat du SO creb!" (We're not going anywhere until you tell me what happened to MY ship!)
Gippal was only too aware of how well Cameo could wield a knife, a gun or how good he was with just his fists. He knew even though he was now eighteen, and Cameo was injured, it would be the hardest battle he'd ever fight. Including his part with Vegnagun; or the Den of Woe.
For although Gippal was older; he was also now half-blind, and the man wasn't one who'd miss that advantage.
Gippal breathed in sharply as Cameo's knife struck his right cheek and he blindly aimed at the older man's chest. He missed his target by inches as it moved back, looking amused.
"You fight as if you're underwater." Gippal just glared, slashing out once more which Cameo easily countered and delivered a kick to Gippal's stomach, making him fall. "I expected more from someone of my own blood. You show me more mercy than our victims."
Our victims…
"No, never mine!" Gippal denied, stopping himself from charging stupidly at him again, instead he did something that seemed equally as stupid. He shut his eye and didn't move.
Cameo couldn't help but laugh in confusion. What was the idiot doing now? Hoping he'd go away just because he couldn't see him?
"You always were the dumbest kid I knew." He smirked, aiming for Gippal's right side and lunging with his knife. It was an easy target, and that's why it shocked him enough to gasp when Gippal blocked it. His eye still closed; his face completely blank. And in this position he began to parry with the older Al Bhed.
Gippal had only used such a way to fight once, and that he had done by accident when training. He shut off all emotions, closed his eye so no image could distract him, and relied on his hearing and instinct. A risky way to fight, but one which made him feel more in control.
If there was one thing Gippal knew without any doubt about the man, it was that he relied on evidence. He had looked at Yevon ways and decided the Al Bheds were no good; he'd looked at old prayers and concluded death would grant the soul redemption. He didn't rely on pure instinct. Never. And that was where him and Gippal differed. This was where he was weak.
Cameo was being forced to step backwards with each attack he blocked, too preoccupied with the fight to notice where he was stepping. And by the time he realised he was near the dragon's body he'd already begun falling backwards.
Gippal struck without hesitation, driving his knife into Cameo's right shoulder and hearing him howl with pain.
…And then Gippal cried out himself as the Claret Dragon's loose claw tore into the muscles of his leg.
Damnit I shouldn't have hacked it off before. He cursed while opening his eye, the calm posture he'd held now gone.
"You could never win." Cameo snarled, climbing to his feet and pulling the knife from his shoulder. "Never!"
Gippal didn't waste time agonising over his leg, he instead dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out the first weapon he could.
Lance's metal disc.
He threw it, not bothering to aim while he quickly dodged the thrown dagger. He only realised he'd hit when Cameo hissed in pain and stumbled away from the dragon's corpse.
What's he doing?
Then Gippal knew, he knew and cursed so even Cid would have winced. Cameo was getting out of the way ready to shower one of his potion mixes. Gippal could be killed instantly.
The young Al Bhed man frantically glanced around him for something, anything he could use; anything that could save him.
The knife that Cameo had thrown was a few feet away, along with Gippal's gun. The one he'd discarded while fighting the Claret Dragon.
Ignoring the pain in his leg as best as he could Gippal moved quickly, pulling out a bullet from his pocket as he moved. He had no time to spare; it was kill or be killed.
"Stop right there!" Cameo commanded, his voice booming across the room. Gippal cursed, now in reach to bend and pick up the gun. Instead he slowly turned round to face Cameo's triumphant grin, albeit a rather pained one. "I've had enough of you. I never wanted you! And neither did your mother." He was readying the bottle, getting ready to throw it. Gippal cried out in pain as his leg 'buckled' under him.
His hand was now conveniently in reach of the gun, which he loaded behind his back as Cameo continued.
"Do you want to know how you were conceived? I raped her, and you were the result. How could you ever be something decent when you came from that! For a while I thought I could make you a saviour too, but you wouldn't let me help you. And now, my son, you can be damned!"
The bottle was thrown into the air as Cameo began to aim his gun, but before his hand was halfway up a loud shot rang out, and the man gasped, clutching at his stomach and falling to the cold floor.
Gippal still had the gun aimed, his breathing irregular as he looked across the room. The potion bottle smashed harmlessly to the ground.
A cold chuckle broke Gippal from his trance, causing anger to make him stand, grabbing the knife beside him.
Why won't he just die?
The pain in his leg was forgotten as he crossed the room to his choking but chuckling father. His nightmare.
The man he was now becoming.
"Nice shot." Cameo coughed, chuckling darkly. He just wouldn't stop. With one hand Gippal yanked the half dead man up, the other still holding the knife. He wanted to make sure he could see Cameo's eyes as he died.
"Bastard." Gippal spat, only then realising he was crying. Cameo just gave a triumphant grin, his teeth stained red.
"What were you expecting? How me to transform into a remorseful man? Not me; only the bad guys do that…and that's you." He coughed weakly, his voice fading slightly but his grin held. "So end it boy, become what you hate the most, become your father."
Gippal sniffed slightly before a cold gleam entered his eye, one he'd always promised he'd never have.
"I can live with that." He smirked, raising the knife just over Cameo's heart, ready to plunge in.
"Gippal don't!" Rikku cried out. Gippal gritted his teeth and looked towards her, seeing them all near the entrance to the room. "Please, its over, you won! You don't have to kill him." Cameo gave a weak chuckle at this, but didn't try to struggle from Gippal's grip. He understood; he understood more than Rikku.
"You could never understand this Rikku." Gippal told her, his voice sounding void of life. "And I'm sorry for that."
And without looking away from her beautifully eyes, he plunged the knife into his father's heart.
And Gippal felt part of himself die too.