The Echo
Chapter 18: A Friendly Little Chat

"Well, sir, I can't really help you out if you aren't willing to pay for materials. We may be the Machine Faction, but that doesn't mean we just hand over everything we use without any sort of reimbursement. We have to keep our doors, open, ya know."

The old man glared at me from his seat across from my desk. "Young whippersnappers… don't know a damned thing about responsibility and generosity…"

I looked over at the playpen as Telan whined up at me. With a smile, I leaned down and picked her up, propping her in my lap as I scribbled on some papers for the old man's order. "I know a lot about responsibility and generosity, sir, which is why I offered to pay for ten percent of the fees for the initial wiring and programming. That's a great huge chunk of change out of your pocket, and it gives me the opportunity to both be generous and put our newest mechanics to the test."

"I don't want new mechanics working on my things! Confounded young 'un, I want exper- who's this?"

Telan was grinning at the old man, giggling happily as I bounced her slightly. As the old man smiled back and watched her, she began to chew on her fingers, grinning still.

"My daughter… she's a doll, ain't she?"

"Daughter?"

"Yep."

He made faces at the infant while I sat back and let her work her magic. "How old is she?"

"About three and a half months, now."

Telan giggled as he stuck his tongue out at her. "Well, she's just precious…"

"I'm glad we agree on that, sir. I might have had to throw you out if you didn't." I winked at the old guy, and the two of us began to laugh.

"Yes, yes, you might have… alright, where were we? Right, right… ten percent sounds like a fine discount to me." He smiled widely, grinning at Telan again as I pushed the papers over for him to sign quickly.

As soon as he'd left his signature and the room, I held Telan up and kissed her cheek. "Good girl… just like we planned. You're Daddy's little angel, aren't you? Got him out of my hair and kept some costs down, didn't you, girlie?" I ruffled her hair softly as Karaa poked her head inside the door. "Hey, what's up?"

"You've got a call on CommSphere 3."

"Could you take a message so I can call them back later? I've got a bunch of inspections to do."

"No, no messages. This guy wants to talk to you now. Me and Rikku will do the inspections for ya, don't worry. She's already got her old supervisor's attitude back. She'll make sure it gets done."

I smiled lightly and nodded. "I know. I can depend on her. But not you." She frowned, and I laughed. "I'm just jokin', Karaa. Go ahead and supervise the inspections for me, alright? I'm sure you'll do a good job."

She grinned brightly and nodded, closing the door behind her as she pulled her head out of the office. I sighed and made sure Telan's head wasn't flopping around against my chest as I sat back and answered the waiting CommSphere. "Gippal, Machine Faction."

"Hey, there, kid." Cid's gruff voice met my ears and I looked down at the little blue sphere in surprise. He gave a loud guffaw. "Shocked to see me?"

"Uh… well, yeah. Sorta."

"Is that my little girl, there?" Rikku's father waved at the baby, who put her hand on the blue sphere with a coo of fascination. He laughed again. "She's too blasted cute, that one…"

Yep. Officially creeped out, now. I smirked as I bounced Telan softly. "What do you need, Cid?"

"To talk to you, boy."

"Yeah… uhm… about?"

"Some very important business." He smirked, a smirk that would rival my own, one of which I'd never seen before.

"Okay… start talkin', then."

"No, no, no. You're comin' out here to Bikanel, kiddo. This is some very important business, after all, and I want to talk to you in person."

I sighed uncomfortably. Was he starting his insane plans for rebuilding Home, again? "I can't really leave right now, sir, things are really busy…"

"Leave Rikku in charge for a day or two, I'm sure she can handle it." Cid smiled politely. A little too politely. He was up to something.

"Well… don't you want to see her? I'm sure she could handle it, bu-"

"Of course I wanna see her, kid, but that doesn't mean I want her to come along for the ride. We need to have a little man-to-man chat. No women allowed." He pointed at the baby. "Not even that one."

I cuddled her protectively. "Don't even call my baby girl a woman." Cid laughed loudly again, and I couldn't help but chuckle myself.

"Brother said he'd pick you up tonight and bring you out here when he's done with his runs."

"He'd better wait 'til he's done with his runs, otherwise I might have to dock his pay," I joked, both of us knowing full well that I'd never do such a thing.

"Yeah, well, be packed up and ready to go."

"And what am I supposed to tell Rikku?"

"That you went to see a man about some very important business. You wouldn't be lying, even."

The old man was smirking again. I sighed as Telan gave off a loud, exasperated baby sound. "Fine."

With my bag on my shoulder, I leaned down and kissed my sleeping daughter on the cheek, smoothing her blond hair back before smiling softly and exiting the room. I hated leaving her, even if it would only be for a few days.

Rikku sat on the couch, and I smiled at her as I walked toward her. She stood and met me halfway across the room, her arms slipping about my waist as she hugged me tightly. "Do you absolutely have to go?"

"Yeah… this guy I'm meeting isn't very patient." I sighed heavily as she chuckled.

"As long as he isn't as impatient as my father, you'll be okay."

I put on a fake smile and nodded. "Yep." With a slight cough, I looked around the living room. "You sure you're going to be okay without me for a few days?"

She rolled her eyes at me and stepped back. "I'm not completely incompetent. But I'm going to miss you." I smiled softly and ducked my head to meet her lips in a gentle, slow kiss.

When we broke apart, she smiled at me, her eyes soft. "I'm going to miss you, too, Rikki…"

I sighed heavily, and she laughed. "Look at us, getting all mushy… come here. Gimme a hug."

I willingly obliged with a chuckle, holding her tightly for a long moment before pulling back reluctantly. "I love you, Riks… be home in a few days."

She nodded and walked me to the door, hugging me tightly once more. "I love you, too."

Brother and I walked down the ramp and onto the sand later that evening. The sun was going down here in Bikanel, the sky a brilliant array of colors. Back in Djose, I'd almost forgotten that the sky could have a color, other than grey. "Pretty, isn't it?" I asked Brother, pointing up.

"Much better than the clouds, that's for sure." He pointed ahead at a small campsite. "That's where Vydran is staying."

"Oh, goodie," I sighed, grinning as Brother laughed at me. The two of us walked silently toward the tents. I was lost in thought, wondering what Cid wanted to talk to me about. It had something to do with Rikku, that I could feel, but I didn't know what. And that scared me, slightly.

I was startled out of my reflection when a loud, gruff voice broke our silence. "There you two are, darn kids… always takin' their sweet time…"

Brother clapped me on the shoulder and pointed back to the ship. "Let me know when you wish to return to Djose." I nodded and watched as he loped back across the sand toward the airship. Cid stood next to me, shaking his head.

"Can't even say hello to his Pops… oh, well. C'mon, kid, follow me."

I did as I was told, following Cid into a tent. Inside were the familiar desert camp style chairs, a cot in the corner, and all of the necessary provisions. I could hear the gentle hum of some of the other diggers' chatter. "So, uh, Cid… why exactly am I here?"

I laughed as I watched Telan playing with her feet on her little blanket in the center of the living room. It was lonely without Gippal, but not uncomfortable. I was accustomed to having him around once more, and though I missed him… I knew he'd come back. And that knowledge was golden.

As I watched the baby entertain herself on the floor, I grinned. A year ago, she hadn't even been a thought. The anniversary of the Eternal Calm would roll around in two weeks… along with the anniversary of the first time Gippal and I had made love. I knew, deep down, that our little girl had come into being that night. Nearly a year ago, this entire escapade had begun, and now, through all the trials and tribulations, I realized that it was beyond worth it. Telan kicked with a gurgle of joy on her blanket, and happiness flooded my heart.

I, Rikku, had never expected to feel this way so early in my life. I'd always wanted to have a family, but never so soon. Had you asked me where I'd be today a year ago, the last thing I would have said was the truth. I would have expected to be on yet another grand adventure, saving Spira from some new evil. I wouldn't have expected to be sitting on a couch in a little house in Djose, watching my daughter try to chew on her toes. If anyone had told me I'd have a beautiful three and a half month old infant, I would have laughed in their faces and told them they were insane.

But it had all been true, and though there was still that part of me that longed for adventure, a new kind of adventure had begun to overtake those cravings for fiend encounters and unsolvable mysteries, for fayths and spheres. I liked life as it was now. I liked having my baby with me. I liked having my boyfriend, her father, with me. I liked living in a little house, and I liked my job at the faction just as much as I had the year before. The Calm had come and I'd been bored, originally. But now I was calm, and so The Calm didn't seem so bad. I knew I'd never become your typical housewife, settled down and always content just to clean the floors. That wasn't who I was. But I now understood why the summoners of old had died repeatedly for it. They'd wanted people to have the feelings I had now. They wanted people to have normalcy. And I was thankful and appreciative, understanding, of their sacrifice. Telan laughed. I smiled.

"Yer here to talk about business, kid. Special business."

"Yeah, I get that."

"Okay, then why're you askin' a question that you already know the answer to?"

I sighed heavily, rubbing my temples. I should have brought Rikku, after all. "Because I don't know what the special business is about, sir."

"Don't 'sir' me. Cid. C-I-D. Cid."

Why does this family have such a problem with nicknames and title… thingies?

"Cid. What's the special business about?"

"I have a hunch that you have a hunch, boy."

With a grin, I shook my head and watched as Cid went over to the small ice chest in the corner and took out two beers, tossing one in my direction. I caught it expertly and nodded as I twisted the cap off. "Yes, I have a hunch."

"Right, then. We're on the same page." Cid sat across from me, a grin on his gruff face. He pulled a small, shabby box out his pocket and held it up. I glanced at it, unsure of what it was. "This here is the best piece of metal ever to grace the sands of this island. And that's sayin' something."

I was in disbelief. I thought this would have something to do with Rikku, not with some random machina part he'd found out on the dig. "You called me out here to look at metal. All the way to Bikanel for a part! Cid, I've got work to do, and a family to spend time with, you couldn't have se-"

"Now, stop right there. Open the damn thing before you jump to conclusions, idiot kid." He tossed the little box to me rather carelessly, and I looked at it, scrutinizing the outward appearance. It couldn't have been that important if he'd put it in that… thing. I set my beer down and made to open the box.

Inside was something I'd never expected to see. A simple, elegant diamond ring, with three small, square stones imbedded in a bright silver band. Colored light shot out of the stones as I held the ring up; I looked over at Cid in shock, and he began to laugh in his usual gruff manner.

"It's not some junky part, kid. And I called you here to ask you when the hell you're proposing to my daughter, cuz I'm tired of waiting."

The CommSphere began to beep as I held Telan's bottle. I reached for it, accepting the call as I adjusted the infant in my arms. "Hello?"

Yuna grinned at me. "I know you've sent letters, but you could have called. Letters aren't the same."

I squealed happily at my cousin. I hadn't talked to her over CommSphere for weeks. The first time I'd spoken to her, I'd been in Bevelle. She'd called in every once in a while, but with Telan and Gippal and the faction, I was busy. "I'm so sorry, I just haven't had the time to sit down…"

"I know, I know, it's okay. You got your old job back, I hear?"

I grinned as Telan stared up at me, and moved the CommSphere so that Yuna could see her as well. My cousin gave off a happy laugh of joy and began to talk to the baby as she awaits my answer. "I did… it feels good to work again."

"Getting restless?"

"I was. You know me, I need to keep busy."

"And you aren't busy enough with that adorable little thing right there?"

"Well, I am, but she doesn't cry all that often, anymore…"

Yuna smiled with triumph. "I knew it."

"Shush. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted-" the two of us laughed "-she doesn't cry much anymore, and Gippal and I trade off."

"I can't imagine a baby in that noisy temple…"

"She likes it. It's kinda weird."

"Speaking of Gippal… where is he?" Telan squeezed on my fingers, and I bounced her softly.

"Bikanel, I guess. Someone called in this morning saying they had important business and he had to come straightaway. Brother took him out there this afternoon."

Yuna frowned. "You don't think-"

I made a face, and she stopped talking. "No! If he was meeting some girl, Brother would never have taken him. Brother agreed to take him a bit too easily, if you ask me."

She frowned again. "That's odd."

"Yeah, tell me about it. But he won't be gone for more than two days, so… no biggie."

Yuna sighed and rested her head against her arm. I noticed the familiar setting behind her… she was in Tidus' tent. Why does that not surprise me?

"So how are things with you and Mr. Machine Faction, hm?'

I blushed and smiled widely. "Fine…"

"Oooh! Fine isn't good enough! Where's the juicy details!"

"Yunie!"

"What? Spill it!"

"Spill what, there's nothing to spill!" I flushed heatedly as Telan suckled at her bottle, oblivious.

"Of course there is! Fine… I'll just have to interrogate you, then." She looked thoughtful for a moment, and then she grinned devilishly. "Has he stopped sleeping out on the couch?"

My face turned a new shade of red as I averted my gaze. "Yes."

"Has he returned to his bedroom, asking to stay with you?"

"… yes."

"Did you say yes?"

I rolled my eyes. "That was a horrible question."

"I know, of course you did." I grinned slightly, my face beginning to return to its normal color. "Have you two had sex yet?"

"Yuna!" My face began to burn again.

"Well?" she asked, her voice and mannerisms calm, her eyes dancing mischievously. "It's just a question."

"It's a very personal question."

"I'm your cousin. It's not like you didn't call me up the day after you guys first did it to fill me in. Now talk."

"… yes. We have."

She smiled wide. "And?"

Had the baby not been in my arms, I would have thrown my hands in the air in frustration. "What kind of a question is that! What am I supposed to say to 'and'? What does the 'and' imply?"

"The 'and' implies: how was it? It's a nice, subtle kind of question. And you're supposed to answer the 'and' as you would answer any other 'and'."

"… I don't like you right now."

"I know, but you still love me, so it's alright." I sighed heavily, smiling despite my dismay at Yuna, of all people, asking me these questions.

"It was nice."

Yuna took over my usual move and tossed her hands up, glaring at me. "Nice! All you can say is 'nice'!"

"Well… it was. Nice, that is."

"And!"

"And everything I remembered? Uhm… well… it was good. It is good." I was blushing softly, a bit embarrassed.

She grinned, nodding in satisfaction. "That's a little better." She looked at me, blinking tentatively. "So… is it easier to know what good is, after the whole Baralai episode?"

With a sigh, I looked down at Telan, smoothing her hair back. "I guess. Sort of. But not really. I mean… you want honesty, here?" She nodded. "Baralai and Gippal… they're both good, but it's a different sort of good. You know? Like… Gippal… I love him. And that makes it even better. I didn't love Baralai, so then it was only good in the physical sense…" I blushed again. Yuna had a pink tint to her cheeks, as well. "So, yeah, I guess it is a bit different when you can compare, but there really isn't any comparing, anyway, so it doesn't even matter, and I kinda want to not talk about the whole Baralai thing…"

"Yeah, I understand." She was quiet for a second, watching as I ran my fingertip up and down Telan's nose, a method I often used to lull her to sleep. "So, back to Gippal… was it steamy?"

"Yuna…"

"Sorry, sorry…"

"It's been steamy. But not the first time. The first time was just kind of spur of the moment and laid-back, and nice… there's not really another word to use. And the second time was really gentle and lovey-dovey and all that… and then there was definite steam, yes." Yuna laughed along with me. "What about you and Tidus, hm, no condensation running down the walls?"

"Rikku!"

"I'm just asking. It's just a question!"

She blushed heavily. "No condensation, but steam, yes… I do hope we're speaking metaphorically."

"Yes, Yunie, we're speaking metaphorically."

"Oh, good. Well, yes, steam." She sighed heavily, a guilty sounding sigh. "Does this make me a bad high summoner?"

I laughed and shook my head, patting Telan's back as she drifted off. "Of course not! Why would it?"

"I don't know! It just seems like it would! I'm not engaged or married or anything! It just seems bad."

"I'm not either, and I have a baby."

"Yeah, well… you're different."

"How?"

"I don't know! You just are! Not in a bad way or anything, but…"

I sighed as she began to babble. "Yeah, yeah, I know what you mean. Don't worry Yunie. It doesn't make you a bad high summoner. It just makes you the sexy high summoner that all the little teenage boys dream about."

"Rikku!"

"… eh-heh."

Ah, it took me so long… but I hope you all like it… ooh la la, a pretty ring… Thanks to FairyIce!

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