Aries here. Yes, third one in three days, I'm on a roll. Well, I'm been playing FFX again the last few days and it's been inpiring me. So, just go with it. What do all of you care how fast I go? You probably aren't even reading this part. I don't care. But I think you're gonna like this one. It's really sweet.

"Elhana!"

The younger girl looked up with an almost jump when her boss came into the office. She sprang out of her seat and over to her. "Yes malady?" she asked, bright-eyed.

Ever since Rikku returned to Zanarkand, there was something different about her. She wasn't the old Rikku, instead, she was replaced with one that was hardworking and serious. She waltzed into the office with coffee in her one hand and a pile of folders in the other.

"I want the records of the new recruits we just hired and I want a list of the positions left for employment. I have interviews today and I don't want anything screwed up," she said, pointing to her. "And get me a potion, will you? One that heals aches and pains, I have a migraine." With that, Rikku went into her office and closed the door.

She nodded and then went to work. When she went into the other room, she placed the folders down and smiled as her employer took the potion. "Well, how was the tournament?" she asked, trying to cheer up the conversation.

"Alright." Her answer was blunt and had no feeling.

Elhana bit her lip. "Who won?"

"The Aurochs."

"How wonderful, isn't that Sir Wakka and Tidus' team?"

"Yeah."

"Did you have fun?"

At this she laughed bitterly. "Yeah, loads of fun."

Her assistant noticed her sarcasm. "Anyway," she started, looking down to her clipboard. "Cid called this morning, said that he was officially moving the Machine Faction Base here, for more room you see, so we need to set up a few more housing accommodations for all the workers coming—."

Rikku choked as she took a sip from her coffee, then spit it out all over the floor next to her. She gasped for breath and held onto her chest, breaths coming in as gasps. "What!" she yelled.

Elhana looked around, almost if looking for an answer. "Um...the Machine Faction is moving here?"

"Are you serious?"

"Yes?"

She looked around and let out a squeak of shock. "My father set this up?" Elhana nodded this time. "And everyone from the faction is coming?"

"Yes...excluding Shinra and his crew, who are staying in Djose, as an experimental facility for new devices. They're also making into a port and docking bay—."

Rikku stood and cut her off again. "Other than that, everyone?"

"Yes."

"Everyone?"

"Yes, my lady, every one of them." Her brow wrinkled in confusion. "Are you feeling alright?"

Rikku put a hand to her forehead and sat down. "Oh, I'm fine, it's just that I really want to murder my father." At this, her assistant looked a tad confused, but then she continued. "When are they arriving?"

"Some time today or tomorrow, I'm sure."

The princess let out a sigh, that sounded like a growl, more or less. "Alright," she said. "Give me the workers' registrations."

Returning from her lunch break, Rikku couldn't help but notice a chocobo outside the office building. It was one that a delivery person would ride—she could tell by the emblem, the one Rin put on his latest money making strategy. People would be sent to take things from place to place all over Spira, riding chocobos or sometimes hovers. There were rest stops as much as travel agencies all over.

When she climbed the stairs, she noticed someone came out of her office; the delivery person. He nodded to her, like all Al Bhed usually did when passing her, and left. She went into the office and found Elhana supporting a box on her desk.

She smiled when Rikku came in. "Malady, can you believe someone sent this to you?" she asked cheerfully.

Rikku took it from her and looked at it carefully. It was just a regular box, nothing special. But, on the top there was something attached.

It was a flower and not just anyone, but a perfect red rose (A.N. I don't really know if there are roses in Spira, but it's a sentimental thing, so go with it). Down to the last petal, it was beautiful and almost delicate. A brush at her nose and she knew it was true.

She took off the card and picked it up. "'Sorry for making you angry yesterday and hope that you'll forgive me'," she read. She looked up; the last part she whispered. "Signed 'Gippal'."

Elhana blinked. "Did he do something to make you angry?"

Before she even answered, Rikku went over to the desk and set the box down. It was taped closed, so she took out a small pocket knife—something she kept on her—and opened it. The flaps came off and inside was wrapping, but then she went through it and revealed something inside it.

Rikku almost gasped at what she found inside. She reached in and picked it up as thought it would break, but it was far from porcelain. It was a doll, just an ordinary rag doll. But, the hair was blond, braided with beads. The dress was small, with ruffles everywhere. The eyes were simple green swirls and that was all it had for a face. Other than that, there were no characteristics about it to resemble a human.

But a smile slowly found its way on her face. "Rianna," she said, holding it close to her chest. "He remembered."

As she sat there, right outside of Home, she cried. Her hands were in fists, rubbing her eyes as she sobbed and wiped away the tears. Her legs were bent behind her as she sat, hunched over a bit.

She was only about seven, not even. Her blond hair was in pigtails on the sides of her heads and she wore a pair of shorts with a shirt and some boots. Missing was a familiar toy that she never left anywhere without. But, then, she didn't have it.

The wind picked up and she heard footsteps. Someone bent down in front of her and she heard a voice.

"Rikku," it said. "Rikku, why are you crying?"

She looked up, teary eyes and red faced. Her face was pinched with sadness, as she looked at the boy in front of her.

Gippal was a boy of eight, his hair spiked like usual. He wore the same as she did, only slightly altered for the effect that he was a boy. His face was clear, both eyes looking at her with confusion and concern.

She hiccuped and sniffled. "B-brother!" she exclaimed. "He-he, he stole Rianna!" Sobbing again, she buried her face in her hands. "Now I'll never see her again!"

He blinked. "He took your doll?" he asked. "Why?"

"I don't know. He was mad that I called him mean and then he took her," she said. She looked up again. "In woke up this morning and she was gone! I can't find her anywhere!"

Again, she wrung her eyes, but this time, he knelt down with her. Gippal took out a clean cleaning cloth and brought her hands away from her face. He wiped away the tears on her eyes and smiled when a smudge appeared on her face. That he wiped away too.

"Don't cry," he said calmly, a tender smile on his face. "You'll see her again."

"How do you know?" she asked innocently.

He looked proud of himself. "Because I'm gonna help you find her."

At this, her face brightened and he took her hands and helped her to her feet. She looked almost shocked at the gesture when he started to pull on her hand towards Home. "How do you know we will?" she asked.

Gippal smirked over his shoulder. "I'm gonna find her, just you wait. I will find Rianna and give her back to you. I promise."

Rikku smiled at her old doll and looked inside the box to see if there was anything else. She found another note and opened it.

'I found her in a trunk while we were excavating the ruins of Home a few months ago. I never had time to give her to you until now. She always used to make her smile. And a promise I make is a promise I keep,' it said, as she read it in her head.

She played with the doll's hair, before taking the rose and it into her office. These were the times when he was sweet and she liked to cherish them. Maybe she did owe him a small apology.