Final Fantasy X-2: Road Trip!
Disclaimer: if I owned ANYTHING, WHY would I be here? - -;;
Note: Paine doesn't know Al Bhed, neither does Nooj in this story.
Delilah Wigglesworth- lol cute name! Haha don't worry, I'm sadder. I named my fishy Gippal. T.T im such a loser. - -;;
moogle- Thank you soo much! Your review was short, but very sweet!
miyazawa kano- Oh hey, thanks! That's really nice of you. I've read a couple of good High School AU FFX-2 fics. The problem with my fics though is that I haven't gotten very far in the game and I'm only in chapter 2. - -;; (Gippal: -snickers-) HEY! -bonk- Thanks for reviewing!
Sakurachild- Haha I feel like that a lot too. I'm abnormal, though. o.o Yay abnormal people! :-D
Paine-171229- yup everyone hates cliffies! ...except for the people that write them. T.T lol thanks for reviewing!
killkikyopeople- i haven't watched inu-yasha for a while! hmm...i have no clue what the clue with kikyo is. -.- lol thank you soooooooooo much!
KiD-AmaZo- Aww thank you! I love those songs and it suddenly occured to me that it would make sense for Gippal to sing "Ocean Avenue"! :-) thank you!
kingleby- yeah! we all love our Gippal! :-D lol. I am in LOVE with his voice! thanks for reviewing!
Gippal: Oh yeah! You go, girlfriend!
o.o Gippal...? Are you okay...?
Gippal: Like, totally! (in a cheerleaders uniform) Gimme an S!
Err..S?
Gippal: Gimmie a 'Weet'!
..Weet?
Gippal: Gimme a demon slayer!
...Demon slayer.
Gippal: What's that spell!?
That you have problems...
Gippal: No, silly billy! It spells Sweet Demon Slayer!
:-) Yay! Okay, onto the story!
Last time on FFX-2: RT! ...
Gippal looked around. "Do you guys see her?"
Both men shook their heads.
Gippal hung his head. "I shoulda known she'd held that freaking grudge against me."
"What grudge?" Tidus asked curiously.
"I told her that when she moved, I'd mail her constantly. I never got the chance to though...I was sent to military school."
"Cu DRYD'C fro oui hajan fnuda! {So THAT'S why you never wrote!} a shrill, but sweet voice rang behind him.
--Now...--
"Oui zang!" {You jerk!} the voice proclaimed again and before Gippal could even say, "Fryd?" {What?} a toe stomped on his foot. HARD.
"OWWWWW!" the Al Bhed man clutched his toe before looking down to see his attacker. "Well well well...if it isn't my little bnehlacc!" {Princess!} Gippal smirked as he saw Rikku's face turn red. He smiled. "Cid's girl..." he laughed. "Ruf'c so bnehlacc tuehk?" {How's my princess doing?} he cooed, laughing.
"Baboon." She replied before giggling and before she could think about what she was doing, she hugged him tightly. "Oh Gippal! You suck!" she stomped on his foot while hugging him. "Oui cyet oui fuimt fneda!" {You said you would write!}
Gippal blinked. "Cid's girl, didn't you hear what I told them?"
"Well, yeah but..."
"Ahem." came Tidus's clearing of his throat.
"But what? I was shipped off and I couldn't even write to you."
"Ahem!" Tidus said again.
"I'm sorry." Rikku looked down at the ground. "It's just...well...I dunno..."
"Aww, is Cid's girl trying to say she missed me?" Gippal smirked before inwardly thinking, (Cuz I've missed you, Cid's girl...)
Rikku flushed red. "Fryd!? Hah! You wish!" {What?!} (But you have missed him. Every day you'd think about him.) she added to herself. (Shut up, me!) she thought. (NO, you shut up!) (No, you!) (No you!)
"WILL BOTH OF YOU JUST SHUT UP!?" Rikku cried to herself. Everyone looked at her with inquired faces.
"I err..." she blushed. "Never mind."
"AHEM." Tidus chimed.
"Well, it's okay Cid's girl. You'll profess your love for me one day." Gippal grinned at her as she turned even more red.
"FRYD?" {WHAT?} Rikku blinked. "Only if you say it first." she smirked. He wouldn't ever say it to her. (Then why do I feel so disappointed?) she frowned. (He would never say...)
"E muja oui." {I love you.} Gippal smirked down at her.
Rikku's face now looked like a cherry. Well, it was as red as it anyway. "Take that back!" she cried.
"Nah, that's okay Cid's girl, I'll-"
"AHEM!!!!!!!!!!!"
"TIDUS, WILL YOU SHUT UP!?!" Gippal growled. Tidus rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Errmmm...sorry. Hehehe..."
"Oh, who's your friend?"
"This is Tidus," he pointed. "And that's Baralai."
"So this is the infamous Cid's girl?" Tidus inquired, walking in circles around Rikku, clearly observing her like a piece of forensic science.
"RIKKU! MY NAME IS RIKKU! ONLY GIPALL CAN CALL ME THAT!" she shrieked. "IF YOU CALL ME CID'S GIRL, I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Tidus backed down fearfully while Baralai chuckled softly along with Gippal, who flushed. "What do you mean, only I can call you that?" he asked curiously.
"Err...Well...you've been calling me that annoying name for so long..." Rikku trailed off. "So...I'm more used to you saying it then him...don't get any ideas, buster!"
"Oh, alright. Pleasure to meet you." Baralai scooped down on one knee before kissing Rikku's hand gently. Rikku flushed red. She had never been so politely greeted. "Same here," Rikku smiled at him and bowed. She turned around and looked at Paine, who had turned her back. (Paine...what's wrong? Do you like him? I don't like him like that...I like...) she turned her gaze to Gippal. (...Gippal...)
Gippal frowned. (Baralai...if you even dare touch her like that again...I'll...kick your butt from here to Bevelle...) he felt his heart go green with envy and jealousy as he saw Rikku turn slightly pink. (Rikku...how come you don't blush when I flatter you...you know I mean it...)
Paine turned around to hide her frown. (Why am I acting like this?) she asked herself. (I don't even know the guy...but Rikku...don't touch him ever again...) she sighed. (This is ridiculous. Stop it. You're being stupid.)
Baralai stood up and dusted off his clothes. (Gip...Relax. You're jumping to conclusions.) he frowned, hearing no voices come out of anyone's mouth. All he heard was silence and crickets chirping. He slowly turned his view to Paine. (I have to meet her.) he thought to himself, taking a step forward to Paine.
Yuna smiled softly. (Gippal and Paine are way overreacting.) she turned her gaze to Tidus. She cleared her throat. "My name is Yuna." she said sweetly to the 3 boys.
Tidus smirked and got down on a knee and kissed Yuna's hand as Baralai had done before. "Pleasure to meet you." he mocked, trying to imitate Baralai's smooth deep voice but failing miserably. Yuna suppressed giggles. (He's cute. Kind of like a puppy.) she smiled inwardly to herself.
"The pleasure's all mine...Tidus, right?" Yuna grinned at him and bowed down before kissing his hand and laughing.
Tidus flushed. He felt like a woman. (That's not a good thing, is it?) He blinked before looking down at his chest, expecting it to grow larger. "Come on, grow!" he shook his chest violently.
The others looked at him in confusion. That was more disturbing then what Rikku had shouted out before.
"Paine." Paine simply replied, turning her back. She was face to face with Baralai. She backed away before turning slightly blushing. That pink soon turned to red out of anger. "What the heck!" she exclaimed, balling her fists up just in case he wanted to fight.
Baralai rose an eyebrow. "I'm sorry if I frightened you." He apologized sincerely before getting on one knee as he had down before. He reached for Paine's hand, but Paine had used that hand to scratch her head immediately. "Umm.." She blinked. "Oh! I see my father, I really must go, see you all later!" she waved before running out of sight.
"Her dad is at Djose Temple." Yuna said with a frown.
"She lives 10 miles away." Rikku paused.
"She's so intriguing." Baralai said dreamily before standing up and once again brushing off his clothes. "I will go accompany her. It was nice meeting you, Yuna. Rikku." he smiled at everyone before running after Paine. "Call me later, guys!" he called to Tidus and Gippal.
Yuna giggled. "So...umm....Rikku, how do you and Gippal know each other?" she inquired.
Rikku's head snapped up as she looked into Gippal's eye. He shrugged. "From...stuff. We were quite the couple." he said with a wink while putting his arm smoothly around Rikku's waist.
The Al Bhed girl flushed red. "GRRR..." she quickly hid her blush, and like Paine, she made it seem like anger. She was too angry to care about Gippal's arm around her waist.
Yuna's eyes widened. "Rikku! You dated him?"
Rikku looked down at her watch. "Oh, look at the time! We really must be going, Yunie! Come on!" not knowing who's hand she grabbed, she yanked Tidus's hand as she started to run off. She suddenly realized that Yuna didn't have blonde hair. "Oops. Sorry Tidus."
"It's okay. I get that a lot." Tidus ran back to Gippal.
Yuna waved. "Bye Tidus! It was nice meeting you! Oh, and Gippal too!" she ran off with Rikku.
Tidus grinned up at Gippal. "She loves me!" he said dreamily, Yuna's enchanting blue and green eyes staying in his vision.
Gippal sighed. (Well...at least one of us knows...) he thought in dismay as he watched Rikku and Yuna disappear into the night.
(I'm just being paranoid,) Paine thought to herself for the 3rd time. She constantly thought she heard "Ow"s and twigs snapping, but maybe that was just her. (I mean, why would someone follow me? Geez. Crazy stalkers.) she sighed as she stopped for some breath. Walking 10 miles wasn't easy. Especially for someone who had injured her ankle a couple of days ago.
"Hiya, Paine!" a cheerful voice came behind her.
"WHAT THE--" Paine swore as she turned around, obviously taken by surprise. "Who goes there?! SHOW YOURSELF!!"
Baralai smiled sweetly at her as he came out of his hiding spot. "I'm sorry if I frightened you," he once again apologized genuinely. "I only wanted to insure the safety of you." he said, fighting a blush as he spoke those kind words.
Paine turned her back. "Yeah...whatever. Next time, don't stalk me in bushes like some crazy criminal." she said with a roll of her eyes as she turned her back and started to walk off. She too was fighting a blush. Baralai wanted to make sure she got home safely.
"Alright," Baralai put his hands up in defense as he tried to keep his pace up with hers. "Next time I'll hide in trees." he suppressed a chuckle as he saw her face turn red.
"Baralai," she warned.
"Okay, I'm sorry." he laughed. "Do...you need me to walk you home?"
(Yes.) Paine urged herself to say. (Stay with me...I...I want to get to know you better...) She stopped in her tracks before stuttering out, "D..Do what you want." and continuing on her path home.
"Alright then, I want to walk you home." Baralai said with a grin. "Hey, who knows, maybe we're like next door neighbors!"
"Oh yay." Paine remarked sarcastically before picking up her pace.
Baralai smirked to himself. (Why is she acting like this? Is she scared of me?) he cringed. (Is it because of that Rikku thing?) he cleared his throat before frowning. "Umm...Paine?"
"What?"
"Did you...get offended by how I greeted Rikku? I greet most ladies of friends like that. Also the cute ones." Baralai chuckled as he saw Paine's face turn red. "But seriously, did I offend you? I mean, Rikku seems sweet, but she's really not my type."
"Oh?" Paine inquired, pretending not to be interesting. She smirked to herself as she put on a sarcastic tone. "So Baralai, DO tell us your type of woman."
"Mysterious. Intriguing." Paine flushed red. She could feel Baralai's eyes burn through her as he continued his description. "Although she might come off as cold, I can just keep thinking, 'I'll warm up to her. I can break through that shell.'" Baralai finished, a tint of red on his face.
"Oh hey, you live on this street!" Baralai exclaimed, obviously happy as they walked in what he pressumed was Paine's driveway.
"So?" came the icy reply.
"I live right across the street!" he grinned at her. "And Gippal lives to the house on my left, while Tidus lives with me."
"..." Paine turned around with the moonlight shimmering down on her. The light shimmered off from her bright red eyes. Baralai almost fainted. (She looks beautiful in the moonlight...her ruby eyes almost stand out from everything around us...) he thought.
"...Really?" she asked.
"Really."
"Oh. Well...Rikku lives on my right with Yuna...so...you guys are free to go bother them whenever."
"And you?"
"..." Paine grabbed her keys and unlocked the door. "You 3 can figure that out when you find your noses broken after bothering me." and with that, Paine gently closed the door.
(Why does he follow me like that?) She asked herself uneasily as she threw the keys on the counter. (Could he...nah...but then again...his description...was just exactly a description of me.) she frowned as she reached into the refrigerator for a diet Coke. "Whatever." she mumbled to no one in particular as she headed for the living room.
Outside, Baralai was staring at the door. (Paine...you...really are beautiful...why won't you let me in your shell?) he frowned as he started to walk across the street. (It's alright though...) he thought with a smile. (I'll wait for you to come around. I can wait as long as you'd like.) As he walked up the footsteps, he swore he saw Tidus and Gippal peeking out his bedroom window. He groaned. (Now what?) he grabbed his keys and entered the house. He threw the keys onto the coffee table and ran upstairs. "What are you guys doing here?" he tried to act calm.
"Waiting for our good buddy Baralai. Hey, I didn't know Paine lived around here!" Gippal exclaimed.
"That's cuz you barely know her," Tidus chimed in, taking a sip of an orange soda.
"Yeah, whatever. Well anyway, we're sleeping over, buddy!" Gippal exclaimed, patting Baralai on the back.
"I live here." Tidus frowned.
"Yeah, well, whatever." Gippal rolled his eyes as he flopped on to Baralai's bed.
Baralai shrugged. "Okay." he sighed. Gippal would always come over. It was like he lived there.
"My mom's out of town," Baralai explained. Baralai's father had died a few years ago from cancer. "So don't make too much of a mess."
"Gotcha." Gippal nodded.
Yuna, Rikku and Paine sat in Yuna's room in Braska's house. Braska was out on business for a few days, so the girls had the house to themselves.
"So Paine," Rikku giggled. "What happened with Baralai?"
"Minus 100 respect points, Rikku."
"WHAT?!"
"Oh fine. Minus 50."
"FRYYYD!?" {WHAAAT!?} Rikku cried in dismay. She frowned and banged her head against the wall. "Oh...poopie!"
Yuna giggled as a plan occurred in her head. She whispered something in Paine's ear before eagerly looking at Rikku. (She so better tell us!) the brunette thought.
"Rikku," Paine smirked. "There's a way you can earn back those points and even more."
"What?" Rikku jumped up. "How? HOW?"
"If you tell us about Gippal and yourself."
"What's there to tell?" Rikku asked quietly.
"Oh come on Rikku! It's so obvious you guys like each other!" Yuna smiled cheerfully.
"Do not!" Rikku argued, a blush unfolding on her cheeks.
"This is the ONLY way you can ever earn back respect points. And I'll never give you back your machina dog."
"FRYD!? NOT GOMEZ!" {WHAT!?} Rikku whined. "Fine! Ask me anything." she braced herself for her first question.
"So truth or dare, Gippal?" Tidus asked curiously.
"Truth." Gippal answered simply, staring out the window. (I wonder where Rikku is.) he pondered. (Wonder if she's near by? That'd be awesome if she was at Paine's house...)
"Tell us about you and Rikku!" Tidus beg eagerly.
"Why?"
"Cuz I wanna know!"
"Fine...ask me anything you want about her."
"Okay! First off..."
"When did you guys meet?" Yuna asked eagerly.
Rikku paused. "When I was about 6. Pops had him babysit me, and HELLO, he was only 7! Well...I dunno...he started teasing me about the TV shows I watched and stuff like that. I started to tease him back and then suddenly came the Cid's Girl name. We always still tease each other, but I know he doesn't know I mean any of it. I also know..." she inhaled sharply. "That he doesn't mean any of the stuff he says to me." (Like how he said he loved me...)
Yuna smiled. "Well, I think you guys make a very cute couple, Rik! You should ask him out."
Rikku and Paine looked at their friend with opened mouths. Yuna put her hands up in defense. "I'm sorry! Just a thought."
"Did you guys use to date?" Tidus asked.
"We went on a couple of dates. I think I was starting to fall in love with her and was going to ask her to go serious with me and be my girlfriend, but she had to move away. And you know how most long distance relationships don't last long. I really missed her and I never dated anyone after her. A lot of girls offered to go out with me-- I mean come on, let's face it, I'm hot! But I never dated anyone after her. I wonder if she dated anyone else. I remember when she came back to the island to visit when she was 13. I thought she was staying for good, but it turned out she was only visiting." Gippal said thoughtfully before sighing. "I guess...we were only reunited just to be torn apart." He heard a loud sniffle. He rolled over on the side of the bed and looked at the back of Tidus's head. Baralai was snickering.
"Don't (BOOHOO) look at me!" Tidus sobbed while turning around.
"That's the saddest thing I (tear) ever heard!" Yuna cried, hugging her cousin. "It's like Romeo and Juliet!" she sobbed, just not as much as Tidus. "You guys were like, made for each other!"
"I never dated anyone after him." Rikku said with a sigh. "I got plenty of offers, but I said no. I was saving myself for when I saw Gippal again. I bet he had tons of girlfriends after me." she said sadly, looking out the window.
Paine and Baralai, unknowingly, both rolled their eyes, but felt sorry for their Al Bhed friends. "Hey!" both exclaimed at the same time. "Why don't you guys go out again?" they inquired.
"Because...he hates me."
"Because...she hates me."
"She does not! Did you see how she was coming on to you!?" Baralai exclaimed.
"He SO does not hate you! Did you see how he hit on you?" Yuna asked.
Rikku smiled. "Whatever. I'll talk to him someday about it." she stared at the window. (Gippal...where are you now? What are you doing? Are you thinking of me...?)
"Come on, let's watch a movie!" Paine said. "Not talk about lovey stuff."
"But it's so sweet!" said a tearful Yuna.
Rikku giggled lightly as she popped in one of her favorite old time movies, "Grease".
Gippal sighed. "To tell the truth, I don't think she likes me even as a friend. I'm below her. And plus..." he groaned. "There's Brother."
"Who?" Tidus and Baralai asked in unison.
"Brother is Rikku's Al Bhed brother. He's very overprotective of Rikku. I know he loves her and is just trying to take care of her, but he takes it way too far! He wouldn't even let me talk to her. What will he do when he finds out I'm still around? Make them move?" Gippal cringed. "Actually, I can imagine that happening."
"How sad." Tidus chirped.
"He used to tell me, while we were dating..." Gippal looked sadly out the window. "That I was never good enough for her. I could never win her heart and that he would always accuse me of flirting with other Al Bheds. He always would say, 'Rikku is too good for you! Leave her alone! Come back when you change into a completely different person! And don't even think of following us to California!'." said the Al Bhed man with a glum look. He stared out the window. "I guess he's right. She IS the daughter of a famous mayor. She's the best with machina. She's got a great figure...why even bother?"
"Don't think like that." Baralai said, patting his friend on the back. "She likes you. It's obvious."
A smile tugged at Gippal's lips. "Thanks Lai."
'Can I have some of that?' an on-screen blonde asked. Rikku recognized her as Sandy.
'Sure!' said the girl next to her, handing her a piece of stationary. The blonde stood up to leave, but the girl exclaimed, 'Wait!" and sprayed perfume on the paper.
Rikku watched as Sandy walked on to the porch. She smiled sadly. This was her favorite song. As the familiar tune started to play, Rikku started mouthing the words.
(Guess mine is not
The first heart broken...
My eyes are not the first to cry...
I'm not the first to know...
There's just no getting over you...)
As the song continued and got stronger, as did Rikku's voice. Yuna and Paine looked at their friend impressively. Rikku wasn't too bad of a singer.
(You know I'm just a fool
Who's willing
To sit around and wait for you
But baby
Can't you see...?
There's nothing else for me to do,
I'm hopelessly devoted to you...)
Gippal sighed as he listened intently to Planet Pluto's "California". He could usually think more when music was playing. Tidus and Baralai was amusing themselves with a video game called "Dead or Alive 3".
"I get to be the cute one!" he heard Tidus chirp.
"Which one?"
"Umm...the Asian one."
"Lei-fang?"
"Yeah."
"Alright. I'll be...Brad Wong." and with that, their battle began.
"Whoa! Her dress just like...flew up!" Tidus cheered.
"You're acting like a dirty old man." Baralai rolled his eyes.
"But now," Rikku sang louder and stronger, still not realizing she was singing. "There's no where to hide! Since you pushed my love aside! Ooh! I'm out of my head! Hopelessly devoted to you...Hopelessly devoted to you....hopelessly devoted...to you..."
Yuna whispered over to Paine. "Do you think we should tell her she's singing?"
"Nah," came the reply. "Let her have her fun."
Yuna blinked. "Fun? Um, alright..."
(My head is saying...
"Fool! Forget him..."
My heart is saying...
"Don't let go"...
Hold on to the end...
And that's what I intend to do...
I'm hopelessly devoted to you...
But now,
There's nowhere to hide!
Since you pushed my love aside,
I'm out of my head!
Hopelessly devoted to you...
Hopelessly devoted to you...
Hopelessly...
Devoted...
to....you....)
Rikku paused immediately after finishing the song. She flushed red as she saw Yuna and Paine with smiles on their faces and as they started to clap. Rikku groaned. "I'm so never doing that EVER again!" she giggled as she looked out the window once more. (Gippal...I'm hopelessly devoted to you, just like I said in the song...I can't get over you...I think...I think E muja oui...) {I love you...} Rikku gasped slightly to herself. She had said she loved Gippal. This just made things more complicated...
Gippal sang softly to a verse. "Hustlers grab your guns, your shadow weighs a ton, driving down the 101...California here we come...right back where we started from..." (I need more time with Rikku. Somehow.) his eyes diverted to the video game.
The two boys were watching a FMV of a blonde girl in a pink convertible, driving down the road. She looked happy.
(On the stereo,
Listen as we go,
Nothings gonna stop me now...
California here we come,
Right back where we started from...
Pedal to the floor
Thinking of the roar
Gotta get us to the show...
California here we come...)
Gippal suddenly put it together. 'California here we come,' and the girl in the convertible. He smiled to himself. Not only would he get some time with Rikku, but his buds would be there too. This could not go wrong!
Visions of the night played into Rikku's head. Finally seeing Gippal, him dedicating those songs to her...and the way he sung "Ocean Avenue" was like he suddenly remembered her. Him slipping his arm around her, him reminding her of their dates, him in general...
"Gippal..." she mumbled. "E...mujapaa ouit..." {I...lovebee youd...} she managed to get out. She meant to say "E muja oui", but the poor girl was half way asleep.
"A road trip?" Tidus inquired.
A/N: And that's where I leave off today, good readers! I'm sorry it took so long to update, I was on a vacation in Hawaii! :-D It was beautiful. I'm serious. You guys should totally go. The guys aren't too bad looking either. ;-D Especially when they're out a luau and are dancing on stage without shirts. LOL.
-SDS-
Disclaimer: if I owned ANYTHING, WHY would I be here? - -;;
Note: Paine doesn't know Al Bhed, neither does Nooj in this story.
Delilah Wigglesworth- lol cute name! Haha don't worry, I'm sadder. I named my fishy Gippal. T.T im such a loser. - -;;
moogle- Thank you soo much! Your review was short, but very sweet!
miyazawa kano- Oh hey, thanks! That's really nice of you. I've read a couple of good High School AU FFX-2 fics. The problem with my fics though is that I haven't gotten very far in the game and I'm only in chapter 2. - -;; (Gippal: -snickers-) HEY! -bonk- Thanks for reviewing!
Sakurachild- Haha I feel like that a lot too. I'm abnormal, though. o.o Yay abnormal people! :-D
Paine-171229- yup everyone hates cliffies! ...except for the people that write them. T.T lol thanks for reviewing!
killkikyopeople- i haven't watched inu-yasha for a while! hmm...i have no clue what the clue with kikyo is. -.- lol thank you soooooooooo much!
KiD-AmaZo- Aww thank you! I love those songs and it suddenly occured to me that it would make sense for Gippal to sing "Ocean Avenue"! :-) thank you!
kingleby- yeah! we all love our Gippal! :-D lol. I am in LOVE with his voice! thanks for reviewing!
Gippal: Oh yeah! You go, girlfriend!
o.o Gippal...? Are you okay...?
Gippal: Like, totally! (in a cheerleaders uniform) Gimme an S!
Err..S?
Gippal: Gimmie a 'Weet'!
..Weet?
Gippal: Gimme a demon slayer!
...Demon slayer.
Gippal: What's that spell!?
That you have problems...
Gippal: No, silly billy! It spells Sweet Demon Slayer!
:-) Yay! Okay, onto the story!
Last time on FFX-2: RT! ...
Gippal looked around. "Do you guys see her?"
Both men shook their heads.
Gippal hung his head. "I shoulda known she'd held that freaking grudge against me."
"What grudge?" Tidus asked curiously.
"I told her that when she moved, I'd mail her constantly. I never got the chance to though...I was sent to military school."
"Cu DRYD'C fro oui hajan fnuda! {So THAT'S why you never wrote!} a shrill, but sweet voice rang behind him.
--Now...--
"Oui zang!" {You jerk!} the voice proclaimed again and before Gippal could even say, "Fryd?" {What?} a toe stomped on his foot. HARD.
"OWWWWW!" the Al Bhed man clutched his toe before looking down to see his attacker. "Well well well...if it isn't my little bnehlacc!" {Princess!} Gippal smirked as he saw Rikku's face turn red. He smiled. "Cid's girl..." he laughed. "Ruf'c so bnehlacc tuehk?" {How's my princess doing?} he cooed, laughing.
"Baboon." She replied before giggling and before she could think about what she was doing, she hugged him tightly. "Oh Gippal! You suck!" she stomped on his foot while hugging him. "Oui cyet oui fuimt fneda!" {You said you would write!}
Gippal blinked. "Cid's girl, didn't you hear what I told them?"
"Well, yeah but..."
"Ahem." came Tidus's clearing of his throat.
"But what? I was shipped off and I couldn't even write to you."
"Ahem!" Tidus said again.
"I'm sorry." Rikku looked down at the ground. "It's just...well...I dunno..."
"Aww, is Cid's girl trying to say she missed me?" Gippal smirked before inwardly thinking, (Cuz I've missed you, Cid's girl...)
Rikku flushed red. "Fryd!? Hah! You wish!" {What?!} (But you have missed him. Every day you'd think about him.) she added to herself. (Shut up, me!) she thought. (NO, you shut up!) (No, you!) (No you!)
"WILL BOTH OF YOU JUST SHUT UP!?" Rikku cried to herself. Everyone looked at her with inquired faces.
"I err..." she blushed. "Never mind."
"AHEM." Tidus chimed.
"Well, it's okay Cid's girl. You'll profess your love for me one day." Gippal grinned at her as she turned even more red.
"FRYD?" {WHAT?} Rikku blinked. "Only if you say it first." she smirked. He wouldn't ever say it to her. (Then why do I feel so disappointed?) she frowned. (He would never say...)
"E muja oui." {I love you.} Gippal smirked down at her.
Rikku's face now looked like a cherry. Well, it was as red as it anyway. "Take that back!" she cried.
"Nah, that's okay Cid's girl, I'll-"
"AHEM!!!!!!!!!!!"
"TIDUS, WILL YOU SHUT UP!?!" Gippal growled. Tidus rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Errmmm...sorry. Hehehe..."
"Oh, who's your friend?"
"This is Tidus," he pointed. "And that's Baralai."
"So this is the infamous Cid's girl?" Tidus inquired, walking in circles around Rikku, clearly observing her like a piece of forensic science.
"RIKKU! MY NAME IS RIKKU! ONLY GIPALL CAN CALL ME THAT!" she shrieked. "IF YOU CALL ME CID'S GIRL, I'LL KILL YOU!!"
Tidus backed down fearfully while Baralai chuckled softly along with Gippal, who flushed. "What do you mean, only I can call you that?" he asked curiously.
"Err...Well...you've been calling me that annoying name for so long..." Rikku trailed off. "So...I'm more used to you saying it then him...don't get any ideas, buster!"
"Oh, alright. Pleasure to meet you." Baralai scooped down on one knee before kissing Rikku's hand gently. Rikku flushed red. She had never been so politely greeted. "Same here," Rikku smiled at him and bowed. She turned around and looked at Paine, who had turned her back. (Paine...what's wrong? Do you like him? I don't like him like that...I like...) she turned her gaze to Gippal. (...Gippal...)
Gippal frowned. (Baralai...if you even dare touch her like that again...I'll...kick your butt from here to Bevelle...) he felt his heart go green with envy and jealousy as he saw Rikku turn slightly pink. (Rikku...how come you don't blush when I flatter you...you know I mean it...)
Paine turned around to hide her frown. (Why am I acting like this?) she asked herself. (I don't even know the guy...but Rikku...don't touch him ever again...) she sighed. (This is ridiculous. Stop it. You're being stupid.)
Baralai stood up and dusted off his clothes. (Gip...Relax. You're jumping to conclusions.) he frowned, hearing no voices come out of anyone's mouth. All he heard was silence and crickets chirping. He slowly turned his view to Paine. (I have to meet her.) he thought to himself, taking a step forward to Paine.
Yuna smiled softly. (Gippal and Paine are way overreacting.) she turned her gaze to Tidus. She cleared her throat. "My name is Yuna." she said sweetly to the 3 boys.
Tidus smirked and got down on a knee and kissed Yuna's hand as Baralai had done before. "Pleasure to meet you." he mocked, trying to imitate Baralai's smooth deep voice but failing miserably. Yuna suppressed giggles. (He's cute. Kind of like a puppy.) she smiled inwardly to herself.
"The pleasure's all mine...Tidus, right?" Yuna grinned at him and bowed down before kissing his hand and laughing.
Tidus flushed. He felt like a woman. (That's not a good thing, is it?) He blinked before looking down at his chest, expecting it to grow larger. "Come on, grow!" he shook his chest violently.
The others looked at him in confusion. That was more disturbing then what Rikku had shouted out before.
"Paine." Paine simply replied, turning her back. She was face to face with Baralai. She backed away before turning slightly blushing. That pink soon turned to red out of anger. "What the heck!" she exclaimed, balling her fists up just in case he wanted to fight.
Baralai rose an eyebrow. "I'm sorry if I frightened you." He apologized sincerely before getting on one knee as he had down before. He reached for Paine's hand, but Paine had used that hand to scratch her head immediately. "Umm.." She blinked. "Oh! I see my father, I really must go, see you all later!" she waved before running out of sight.
"Her dad is at Djose Temple." Yuna said with a frown.
"She lives 10 miles away." Rikku paused.
"She's so intriguing." Baralai said dreamily before standing up and once again brushing off his clothes. "I will go accompany her. It was nice meeting you, Yuna. Rikku." he smiled at everyone before running after Paine. "Call me later, guys!" he called to Tidus and Gippal.
Yuna giggled. "So...umm....Rikku, how do you and Gippal know each other?" she inquired.
Rikku's head snapped up as she looked into Gippal's eye. He shrugged. "From...stuff. We were quite the couple." he said with a wink while putting his arm smoothly around Rikku's waist.
The Al Bhed girl flushed red. "GRRR..." she quickly hid her blush, and like Paine, she made it seem like anger. She was too angry to care about Gippal's arm around her waist.
Yuna's eyes widened. "Rikku! You dated him?"
Rikku looked down at her watch. "Oh, look at the time! We really must be going, Yunie! Come on!" not knowing who's hand she grabbed, she yanked Tidus's hand as she started to run off. She suddenly realized that Yuna didn't have blonde hair. "Oops. Sorry Tidus."
"It's okay. I get that a lot." Tidus ran back to Gippal.
Yuna waved. "Bye Tidus! It was nice meeting you! Oh, and Gippal too!" she ran off with Rikku.
Tidus grinned up at Gippal. "She loves me!" he said dreamily, Yuna's enchanting blue and green eyes staying in his vision.
Gippal sighed. (Well...at least one of us knows...) he thought in dismay as he watched Rikku and Yuna disappear into the night.
(I'm just being paranoid,) Paine thought to herself for the 3rd time. She constantly thought she heard "Ow"s and twigs snapping, but maybe that was just her. (I mean, why would someone follow me? Geez. Crazy stalkers.) she sighed as she stopped for some breath. Walking 10 miles wasn't easy. Especially for someone who had injured her ankle a couple of days ago.
"Hiya, Paine!" a cheerful voice came behind her.
"WHAT THE--" Paine swore as she turned around, obviously taken by surprise. "Who goes there?! SHOW YOURSELF!!"
Baralai smiled sweetly at her as he came out of his hiding spot. "I'm sorry if I frightened you," he once again apologized genuinely. "I only wanted to insure the safety of you." he said, fighting a blush as he spoke those kind words.
Paine turned her back. "Yeah...whatever. Next time, don't stalk me in bushes like some crazy criminal." she said with a roll of her eyes as she turned her back and started to walk off. She too was fighting a blush. Baralai wanted to make sure she got home safely.
"Alright," Baralai put his hands up in defense as he tried to keep his pace up with hers. "Next time I'll hide in trees." he suppressed a chuckle as he saw her face turn red.
"Baralai," she warned.
"Okay, I'm sorry." he laughed. "Do...you need me to walk you home?"
(Yes.) Paine urged herself to say. (Stay with me...I...I want to get to know you better...) She stopped in her tracks before stuttering out, "D..Do what you want." and continuing on her path home.
"Alright then, I want to walk you home." Baralai said with a grin. "Hey, who knows, maybe we're like next door neighbors!"
"Oh yay." Paine remarked sarcastically before picking up her pace.
Baralai smirked to himself. (Why is she acting like this? Is she scared of me?) he cringed. (Is it because of that Rikku thing?) he cleared his throat before frowning. "Umm...Paine?"
"What?"
"Did you...get offended by how I greeted Rikku? I greet most ladies of friends like that. Also the cute ones." Baralai chuckled as he saw Paine's face turn red. "But seriously, did I offend you? I mean, Rikku seems sweet, but she's really not my type."
"Oh?" Paine inquired, pretending not to be interesting. She smirked to herself as she put on a sarcastic tone. "So Baralai, DO tell us your type of woman."
"Mysterious. Intriguing." Paine flushed red. She could feel Baralai's eyes burn through her as he continued his description. "Although she might come off as cold, I can just keep thinking, 'I'll warm up to her. I can break through that shell.'" Baralai finished, a tint of red on his face.
"Oh hey, you live on this street!" Baralai exclaimed, obviously happy as they walked in what he pressumed was Paine's driveway.
"So?" came the icy reply.
"I live right across the street!" he grinned at her. "And Gippal lives to the house on my left, while Tidus lives with me."
"..." Paine turned around with the moonlight shimmering down on her. The light shimmered off from her bright red eyes. Baralai almost fainted. (She looks beautiful in the moonlight...her ruby eyes almost stand out from everything around us...) he thought.
"...Really?" she asked.
"Really."
"Oh. Well...Rikku lives on my right with Yuna...so...you guys are free to go bother them whenever."
"And you?"
"..." Paine grabbed her keys and unlocked the door. "You 3 can figure that out when you find your noses broken after bothering me." and with that, Paine gently closed the door.
(Why does he follow me like that?) She asked herself uneasily as she threw the keys on the counter. (Could he...nah...but then again...his description...was just exactly a description of me.) she frowned as she reached into the refrigerator for a diet Coke. "Whatever." she mumbled to no one in particular as she headed for the living room.
Outside, Baralai was staring at the door. (Paine...you...really are beautiful...why won't you let me in your shell?) he frowned as he started to walk across the street. (It's alright though...) he thought with a smile. (I'll wait for you to come around. I can wait as long as you'd like.) As he walked up the footsteps, he swore he saw Tidus and Gippal peeking out his bedroom window. He groaned. (Now what?) he grabbed his keys and entered the house. He threw the keys onto the coffee table and ran upstairs. "What are you guys doing here?" he tried to act calm.
"Waiting for our good buddy Baralai. Hey, I didn't know Paine lived around here!" Gippal exclaimed.
"That's cuz you barely know her," Tidus chimed in, taking a sip of an orange soda.
"Yeah, whatever. Well anyway, we're sleeping over, buddy!" Gippal exclaimed, patting Baralai on the back.
"I live here." Tidus frowned.
"Yeah, well, whatever." Gippal rolled his eyes as he flopped on to Baralai's bed.
Baralai shrugged. "Okay." he sighed. Gippal would always come over. It was like he lived there.
"My mom's out of town," Baralai explained. Baralai's father had died a few years ago from cancer. "So don't make too much of a mess."
"Gotcha." Gippal nodded.
Yuna, Rikku and Paine sat in Yuna's room in Braska's house. Braska was out on business for a few days, so the girls had the house to themselves.
"So Paine," Rikku giggled. "What happened with Baralai?"
"Minus 100 respect points, Rikku."
"WHAT?!"
"Oh fine. Minus 50."
"FRYYYD!?" {WHAAAT!?} Rikku cried in dismay. She frowned and banged her head against the wall. "Oh...poopie!"
Yuna giggled as a plan occurred in her head. She whispered something in Paine's ear before eagerly looking at Rikku. (She so better tell us!) the brunette thought.
"Rikku," Paine smirked. "There's a way you can earn back those points and even more."
"What?" Rikku jumped up. "How? HOW?"
"If you tell us about Gippal and yourself."
"What's there to tell?" Rikku asked quietly.
"Oh come on Rikku! It's so obvious you guys like each other!" Yuna smiled cheerfully.
"Do not!" Rikku argued, a blush unfolding on her cheeks.
"This is the ONLY way you can ever earn back respect points. And I'll never give you back your machina dog."
"FRYD!? NOT GOMEZ!" {WHAT!?} Rikku whined. "Fine! Ask me anything." she braced herself for her first question.
"So truth or dare, Gippal?" Tidus asked curiously.
"Truth." Gippal answered simply, staring out the window. (I wonder where Rikku is.) he pondered. (Wonder if she's near by? That'd be awesome if she was at Paine's house...)
"Tell us about you and Rikku!" Tidus beg eagerly.
"Why?"
"Cuz I wanna know!"
"Fine...ask me anything you want about her."
"Okay! First off..."
"When did you guys meet?" Yuna asked eagerly.
Rikku paused. "When I was about 6. Pops had him babysit me, and HELLO, he was only 7! Well...I dunno...he started teasing me about the TV shows I watched and stuff like that. I started to tease him back and then suddenly came the Cid's Girl name. We always still tease each other, but I know he doesn't know I mean any of it. I also know..." she inhaled sharply. "That he doesn't mean any of the stuff he says to me." (Like how he said he loved me...)
Yuna smiled. "Well, I think you guys make a very cute couple, Rik! You should ask him out."
Rikku and Paine looked at their friend with opened mouths. Yuna put her hands up in defense. "I'm sorry! Just a thought."
"Did you guys use to date?" Tidus asked.
"We went on a couple of dates. I think I was starting to fall in love with her and was going to ask her to go serious with me and be my girlfriend, but she had to move away. And you know how most long distance relationships don't last long. I really missed her and I never dated anyone after her. A lot of girls offered to go out with me-- I mean come on, let's face it, I'm hot! But I never dated anyone after her. I wonder if she dated anyone else. I remember when she came back to the island to visit when she was 13. I thought she was staying for good, but it turned out she was only visiting." Gippal said thoughtfully before sighing. "I guess...we were only reunited just to be torn apart." He heard a loud sniffle. He rolled over on the side of the bed and looked at the back of Tidus's head. Baralai was snickering.
"Don't (BOOHOO) look at me!" Tidus sobbed while turning around.
"That's the saddest thing I (tear) ever heard!" Yuna cried, hugging her cousin. "It's like Romeo and Juliet!" she sobbed, just not as much as Tidus. "You guys were like, made for each other!"
"I never dated anyone after him." Rikku said with a sigh. "I got plenty of offers, but I said no. I was saving myself for when I saw Gippal again. I bet he had tons of girlfriends after me." she said sadly, looking out the window.
Paine and Baralai, unknowingly, both rolled their eyes, but felt sorry for their Al Bhed friends. "Hey!" both exclaimed at the same time. "Why don't you guys go out again?" they inquired.
"Because...he hates me."
"Because...she hates me."
"She does not! Did you see how she was coming on to you!?" Baralai exclaimed.
"He SO does not hate you! Did you see how he hit on you?" Yuna asked.
Rikku smiled. "Whatever. I'll talk to him someday about it." she stared at the window. (Gippal...where are you now? What are you doing? Are you thinking of me...?)
"Come on, let's watch a movie!" Paine said. "Not talk about lovey stuff."
"But it's so sweet!" said a tearful Yuna.
Rikku giggled lightly as she popped in one of her favorite old time movies, "Grease".
Gippal sighed. "To tell the truth, I don't think she likes me even as a friend. I'm below her. And plus..." he groaned. "There's Brother."
"Who?" Tidus and Baralai asked in unison.
"Brother is Rikku's Al Bhed brother. He's very overprotective of Rikku. I know he loves her and is just trying to take care of her, but he takes it way too far! He wouldn't even let me talk to her. What will he do when he finds out I'm still around? Make them move?" Gippal cringed. "Actually, I can imagine that happening."
"How sad." Tidus chirped.
"He used to tell me, while we were dating..." Gippal looked sadly out the window. "That I was never good enough for her. I could never win her heart and that he would always accuse me of flirting with other Al Bheds. He always would say, 'Rikku is too good for you! Leave her alone! Come back when you change into a completely different person! And don't even think of following us to California!'." said the Al Bhed man with a glum look. He stared out the window. "I guess he's right. She IS the daughter of a famous mayor. She's the best with machina. She's got a great figure...why even bother?"
"Don't think like that." Baralai said, patting his friend on the back. "She likes you. It's obvious."
A smile tugged at Gippal's lips. "Thanks Lai."
'Can I have some of that?' an on-screen blonde asked. Rikku recognized her as Sandy.
'Sure!' said the girl next to her, handing her a piece of stationary. The blonde stood up to leave, but the girl exclaimed, 'Wait!" and sprayed perfume on the paper.
Rikku watched as Sandy walked on to the porch. She smiled sadly. This was her favorite song. As the familiar tune started to play, Rikku started mouthing the words.
(Guess mine is not
The first heart broken...
My eyes are not the first to cry...
I'm not the first to know...
There's just no getting over you...)
As the song continued and got stronger, as did Rikku's voice. Yuna and Paine looked at their friend impressively. Rikku wasn't too bad of a singer.
(You know I'm just a fool
Who's willing
To sit around and wait for you
But baby
Can't you see...?
There's nothing else for me to do,
I'm hopelessly devoted to you...)
Gippal sighed as he listened intently to Planet Pluto's "California". He could usually think more when music was playing. Tidus and Baralai was amusing themselves with a video game called "Dead or Alive 3".
"I get to be the cute one!" he heard Tidus chirp.
"Which one?"
"Umm...the Asian one."
"Lei-fang?"
"Yeah."
"Alright. I'll be...Brad Wong." and with that, their battle began.
"Whoa! Her dress just like...flew up!" Tidus cheered.
"You're acting like a dirty old man." Baralai rolled his eyes.
"But now," Rikku sang louder and stronger, still not realizing she was singing. "There's no where to hide! Since you pushed my love aside! Ooh! I'm out of my head! Hopelessly devoted to you...Hopelessly devoted to you....hopelessly devoted...to you..."
Yuna whispered over to Paine. "Do you think we should tell her she's singing?"
"Nah," came the reply. "Let her have her fun."
Yuna blinked. "Fun? Um, alright..."
(My head is saying...
"Fool! Forget him..."
My heart is saying...
"Don't let go"...
Hold on to the end...
And that's what I intend to do...
I'm hopelessly devoted to you...
But now,
There's nowhere to hide!
Since you pushed my love aside,
I'm out of my head!
Hopelessly devoted to you...
Hopelessly devoted to you...
Hopelessly...
Devoted...
to....you....)
Rikku paused immediately after finishing the song. She flushed red as she saw Yuna and Paine with smiles on their faces and as they started to clap. Rikku groaned. "I'm so never doing that EVER again!" she giggled as she looked out the window once more. (Gippal...I'm hopelessly devoted to you, just like I said in the song...I can't get over you...I think...I think E muja oui...) {I love you...} Rikku gasped slightly to herself. She had said she loved Gippal. This just made things more complicated...
Gippal sang softly to a verse. "Hustlers grab your guns, your shadow weighs a ton, driving down the 101...California here we come...right back where we started from..." (I need more time with Rikku. Somehow.) his eyes diverted to the video game.
The two boys were watching a FMV of a blonde girl in a pink convertible, driving down the road. She looked happy.
(On the stereo,
Listen as we go,
Nothings gonna stop me now...
California here we come,
Right back where we started from...
Pedal to the floor
Thinking of the roar
Gotta get us to the show...
California here we come...)
Gippal suddenly put it together. 'California here we come,' and the girl in the convertible. He smiled to himself. Not only would he get some time with Rikku, but his buds would be there too. This could not go wrong!
Visions of the night played into Rikku's head. Finally seeing Gippal, him dedicating those songs to her...and the way he sung "Ocean Avenue" was like he suddenly remembered her. Him slipping his arm around her, him reminding her of their dates, him in general...
"Gippal..." she mumbled. "E...mujapaa ouit..." {I...lovebee youd...} she managed to get out. She meant to say "E muja oui", but the poor girl was half way asleep.
"A road trip?" Tidus inquired.
A/N: And that's where I leave off today, good readers! I'm sorry it took so long to update, I was on a vacation in Hawaii! :-D It was beautiful. I'm serious. You guys should totally go. The guys aren't too bad looking either. ;-D Especially when they're out a luau and are dancing on stage without shirts. LOL.
-SDS-