"You did what!"
Brother stood timidly in front of his younger sister with an almost apologetic look on his face. "I…married Astrah?" he tried.
Rikku was standing in the hospital with her jaw to the floor. Still in her evening clothes, she and the other five with her were receiving quite the looks from nurses and doctors passing by them through the halls. The minute that Rikku received the call from her brother, she bolted out the door. Only, she didn't expect the others to follow her. So there they stood, without dinner and in tuxes and gowns, in the middle of the hospital.
She shook her head. "Why?" she asked. "How—she said yes?"
He looked around as though for an answer. "It was her idea…."
"Wait a minute," Tidus interrupted, coming up next to her. "Who's Astrah?"
Just as he said it, there was a gasp and everyone turned. Like before, Astrah was as pretty and well…pretty as before. She wore a two-pieced outfit that was all white, that was a mini-skirt and a halter belly shirt. The males present seemed to be in complete shock when seeing her. But, the hairdresser automatically smiled, holding two cups of coffee in her hands.
She emptied her hands and spread her arms wide to give Rikku a hug. "Oh, hi everyone!" she said, completely perky and happy. Rikku seemed to not know what to do, but hugged her anyway. When she let go, she held her at an arm's length. "Can you believe it, we're sisters?"
"…No," she said, honestly. Her eyes were still wide.
Behind her, both Paine and Yuna smacked the men with them, and received glares saying, 'Don't stare.' They looked more surprised on her appearance than anything.
Astrah seemed disappointed. "Well, after you left, Brother was walking me home and offered me dinner," she explained. "Everything went on from there. We went to go tell your father and when we did, he collapsed," she said with concern. "I hope he's all right. We're not even allowed to see him yet. We panicked when he did, that's why Brother was frantic on the phone."
"Ah-huh," Rikku replied, and then looked to her friends.
Yuna was smiling, but you could tell she was hiding her shock. Tidus looked as though he was talking to himself in his head, blinking and looking everywhere while rocking his head back and forth. Paine was just staring at the entire scene, eyebrows raised and mouth parted. Baralai seemed okay, but he kept furrowing his eyebrows together and scratching the back of his head.
Gippal was almost laughing. "Okay, so," Gippal started, raising a finger. "You two are married."
"Yes," they chorused.
"You told Cid and he fainted?"
The two looked at each other. "Yes," they said, looking at him again.
He shrugged. "Okay, just so I got it right."
"I'm sorry we ruined your evening," Astrah said apologetically. "I hope I can make it up to you."
"No, it's fine," Rikku waved it off and looked to everyone, "right?"
For a moment the others looked at each other before there was a chorus of talking.
"Of course—."
"No damage."
"I guess something worse could have happened."
"We can reschedule something…"
At this, she smiled. "Oh, thank you," she said. "You're very kind."
When this was said, a nurse came outside and looked at everyone. "Well," she said, straightening her clothes and smiling. "Looks like we have quite the party here." Well, she was in front of six of the most famous people in all of Spira, who were all wearing formal dress.
"He's doing fine," she said, looking at the clipboard she had in her hands. "Just a little bit of a shock spell. He should be able to leave tonight, but we'll keep him just to make sure. He seems to be rather calm though…" At this she was a little confused, but then looked up at all of them. "Are any of you family members?"
"I'm his daughter," Rikku pointed out.
"I'm his niece, does that count?" Yuna mentioned.
"Okay, does he know the rest of you?" she asked. "All of you at once might be overwhelming at first. Go in gradually if you can. The ones he knows first, then the rest?" She smiled. "I'll leave you go."
She turned and went down the hall, and the eight were left standing there. "I'll go," Rikku said. "He might be calmer if I explain things."
"What about me?" Brother asked.
"You're the reason he did this," she said, pointing to him. "If he sees you he might do something stupid," she groaned, before almost charging into the room.
Inside was a small room, with nice colored walls and a cozy feel about it. Knowing her father, he would absolutely hate the place. There was a curtain around a small bed area and she went over to the opening. "Pops?"
Her father looked up when hearing her voice. "Rikku? What the heck are you doing here?" he asked, almost shocked.
He was under the covers, wearing a hospital gown and was reclining on the bed. He was hooked up to an IV and a heart monitor, which beeped like it was supposed to. If this were a normal case, he'd be swearing and yelling that he didn't need to be in bed and he wasn't that old yet. But when he saw her, he looked almost surprised.
She gave him a looked and came over. "Brother called me," she said. "I was having dinner with Yuna and the others." She came over and sat on the bed, putting her purse down on the side table. "What are you doing in Luca?"
He shrugged. "Working on the airship port," he said. Shook his head. "That was until Brother showed up with…what's her name again?"
"Astrah," she said, sounding a little concerned. "And she's your new daughter-in-law, so remember her name. She's outside worried you know?"
His eyebrows went up. "Really? I barely met the woman."
"She's Al Bhed."
"Doesn't matter," he said. "Still don't know her. Only met her a while ago." He sighed. "No, but really, why are you here?"
As though looking for an answer, she looked him in the eye. "What are you talking about?"
"Well, since what I've been doing to ya, thought you hated me or something," he said, looking off to the side. "I haven't been coming by your office because of what happened."
For a moment, Rikku thought about it. That was right, she yelled at him. Back then, she was so angry with him, he could have died and she wouldn't have cared. She's totally forgotten. She looked down shamefully. "Oh."
Before she could say anything, Yuna came in with Tidus following her. "Uncle Cid?" she asked, almost nervously.
He looked up and smiled. "Oh, hey there, you," he said. She smiled. "You're doing well, I see." Then he nodded to Tidus. "Is he still treating you alright?"
At this, they both seemed to smile. Yuna nodded. "Yes, of course," she said, coming over by his side. "Are you feeling okay?"
He nodded, glancing at his daughter for one moment. "Yeah, now I am."
"Well," Gippal said, as they sat around in the hospital waiting room. With him were Baralai and Paine, both not exactly close to the Al Bhed leader, so they waited for the others to return.
Long ago, Paine had taken off her shoes, the heeled sandals now untied and messily on the floor next to her. She was slump in the chair she was in, arms crossed and feet flat out in front of her. She didn't look too happy, but not annoyed like at other times. She glanced over to her fiancé, sitting on the armrest.
Baralai looked calm and collected, but had taken off his bow tie all the same, his jacket over the back of the chair that Paine was leaning against. He seemed at ease, and had a pleasant look on his face, like usual. Nothing seemed to faze him.
"This was an unexpected turn of events," Gippal continued.
He too had taken off his tie and jacket, but also the cummerbund, and he unbuttoned his shirt at the top, as well as the sleeves, that were rolled up to his elbows. The looks that they were getting from everyone were enough to make them tone it down slightly.
The praetor sighed and nodded at his comment. "Well, yes." He looked down to Paine. "You want to go? I don't think we'll finish dinner."
His fiancée sat up and stretched her arms above her head. "I suppose," she said, getting to her feet and retrieving her shoes to put on. "If we're not needed, there are probably others that would need the space we're taking anyway."
"We had originally intentioned on spending the night at the hotel, so that's where we'll be," Baralai said, as he stood as well, collecting his jacket.
He slipped it onto his fiancée's shoulders and they started out the door. When they were gone, he took the seat that they emptied, and rested his head back and closed his eyes. Only he didn't get to rest that long.
"Don't fall asleep, I still have to take you home," came a familiar voice.
Gippal looked up at Rikku, who came in with a bit of frustration. Her brows were furrowed and she fumbled through her purse looking for something. "For the love of everything…" she muttered, coming over in front of him.
She looked almost adorable with her tongue sticking out of her mouth as she worked, but he didn't say anything. Gippal sat up and raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking for?"
"Money," she said. "This thing has more in it than it appears."
"Hey, I don't want to know."
She rolled her eyes, but then finally her eyes lit up when she found what she was looking for. "There," she said, "found ya!"
He stood and scratched the back of his neck. "Why are you looking for money?"
"Not only do we have to find another way back to Zanarkand than Brother, we have to spend the night," she said, looking up at him briefly before back to her bag. "Oh, where is that—there!"
His eyebrows rose. "And you're paying for it?"
"I don't see you volunteering," she snapped, heading towards the door.
They made it out the front, but before they made it to the street, she pulled over and leaned against a wall, untying her shoes. "Who even invented these things?"
"Men who decided that women looked better in them," he replied with a smile.
She gave him a look. "You're not helping," she said. "We have to find ourselves a hotel."
A half hour, some shopping and one hotel room later, they stumbled inside the room they were staying in for the night. When there, Rikku almost automatically shook her head. "Oh just great," she said, stamping her foot.
Gippal came in behind her. The only hotel in town that had vacancy was the one in which Baralai and Paine was staying in. It wasn't exactly bad, and not too expensive (since both of them had a well-paying job and chipped in on the tip), but when you walked into the room, well…
"You're sleeping on the couch," the blonde told her companion.
The suite was for a pair of honeymooners. That meant one bed, one bedroom and that was it. When you came inside, there was a foyer and seating area, with couches and a sphere-player, but to the back of it was the bedroom. It was a deep red, with all kinds of frilly things and even a small ice bucket for wine.
He gave her a look, as she went over and placed her package on the bed. "You're kidding me, right?" he asked her. "Why do I get the couch?"
"Because we're not both sleeping in it and there's no way I'm sleeping on the couch," she said, taking out what appeared to be denim from the package. She went over to the bathroom, which she commented had a Jacuzzi and two sinks. "And don't come in, I'm changing."
She heard his sigh, and the bed sag with his weight. "Whatever. I suppose it's better than the floor."
"At least I didn't make you do that."
While speaking, Rikku stripped of the skirt she wore, but kept everything else on. She slipped on a pair of jeans that she had bought on the way there, that were tied on the sides with a little bit of a gap. Her underwear could be seen underneath, but she didn't really think it mattered, since where they were going could care less.
When she came out, she shut off the light, finding him where she left him. He seemed surprised at what she wore. "Why are you wearing that?"
"I don't know about you, but I didn't have dinner," she said. "I'm heading to an all night diner to see what's there. You coming or what?"
"What, no coffee?"
Rikku didn't say anything at first as the waitress took their menus. Now, usually, at a comment like this, she would say something back just as smart with the same sense of humor. Only this time, since she was so tired and didn't feel like it, she just gave Gippal a look. "It's not morning."
He shrugged. "Of course."
For a moment it was silent. But as he looked around, he noticed the warm and sensual atmosphere. There were a few tables, with a bar near the front and nicer dinning areas to the sides. They were in a booth, that would have held four if needed, but there was just them at that moment.
The others there hadn't even flinched when they came in. The waitress didn't even blink when looking at them. Maybe they weren't as big of celebrities as he thought. It wasn't that he was complaining; it actually was nice without all the eyes on them. Still, it was a little odd when you're used to it all the time.
"No one's seemed to notice us," he commented then, speaking his mind.
"They're either too tired to care, or eating."
He looked over at his companion to see that she was looking at the wall. It didn't have anything special on it; it was just a wall with wallpaper. But, still, she looked at it intently, like she was concentrating hard.
Gippal knew that look. She was thinking, thinking deeply. She almost looked a little sad, though. Instantly, seeing that she was upset, he tried something. "Uh-oh, the princess thinking," he said. "Never a good sign."
"Do you remember your parents, Gippal?" she asked suddenly. She didn't even look at him.
He blinked. She didn't even get angry. That was a sign that she definitely wasn't feeling well. But then, he paused at the question. Did he remember his parents? Did he? He barely remembered meeting Rikku, and that was after his parents died. No one had ever asked him that question before, not even his sister.
"Yes," he replied, with a solemn look on his face as he stared at the table. He leaned back a little, as she turned her head and looked him in the eye. "Nhadala does better though."
"What were they like?" she asked.
His brow wrinkled. "Why do you want to know?"
"What was your mother like?" she asked, instead of answering. "What do you remember about her?"
Gippal sighed. He wasn't getting an answer before she did. For a moment he looked into space and thought about it. "She was…pretty," he said. "Her hair was a little shorter than yours. She smelled of flowers."
For a moment he paused. "She was very delicate, and she had delicate, small hands too. She was always sewing something, but she'd sit with me and I'd be able to sit in her lap while she hummed to Nhadala and me."
He scratched the back of his neck. "That's it really. All I have is feelings of her."
Rikku didn't say anything, not for a while. She just stared into space, it appeared, looking at the table. "Why are you asking me this?" he finally asked.
"I don't remember mine," she said. "Not anything."
Rikku never spoke of her mother. Since she just came out and did so at that moment, he listened. There had to be a reason. She wasn't like that before they had gotten to the hospital. What had happened when she spoke to Cid anyway?