Hey everyone! Sorry, I know I'm late again but my computer was being evil and wouldn't read the stupid disk and i finally got it to work so yeah! Anyways, on to the thankies
punkygal: woah...i did take forever. my b-day was back in september.sorry and thankies!
Torii: i absolutely LOVE reading r/g romantic fics! they are awesome and im glad i can make you happy with mine. sadly there's a really small amount of romance in this one if any. sob keep reviewing!
Master Thief: i'm updating now! (finally) im glad you like it! it always makes me so happy when i get reviews that say good things because it means im doing a pretty good job! thank you somuch!
kingleby: read above (they're pretty much what i'd say to you im just too lazy to retype it) Thank you! -
dragonmaster: yeah, im pretty good at it too. heh heh i have my ways. i've gotten hit in the face by a soccer ball once but other than that i don't play sports so i don't really get hit in the face by sports stuff. i don't even remember what football game it was! and thanks for the cake! you love baking and i love eating- it works out perfectly! - thank you!
Gippal nd Rikku x3: LOL! i don't really know what Squall is like 'cause i've only played 9,10, and 10-2! but thanks, i guess. he is a workaholic- that was kinda the point. thanks!
killkikyopeople: me too! i love fluff! sometimes i have a fluff hunt! i absolutely love it! but sadly ther is no fluff here this chapter sob i want more fluff! (it's just not time for it)
Letselina: yeah, i know how it is. it's okay as long as you still read! i love it when i find a good storyor a good review or anything! (am i making sense?) but i know what it's like to be busy too. too busy to update, to busy to even get on the internet (in fact right now i should be working on my art project! oh well, i'll stay up late and do it) THanks for reviewing and remembering me! and i know what you mean about Rikku. i just thought she'd be kinda crushed by gippal for a bit (don't worry though she's getting her spunk back)
Angel Taisha: oh! i feel special! thankyou for reviewing and the kind words! i love gip and rik! they're so fun to play with, to write! But i wish i had more time. im sure i'll update much more during the summer but right now i have to concentrate on school and getting into college, etc. But thank you once again! -
dragonmaster: wow! aren't you persistant?! so here ya go! (i actually don't get much homework on holidays i just am aLwAyS so busy!)
(i feel as if i use too many exclamation marks! oh well, im just so excited!)
Flametongue: oh my god! you're absolutely right! sadly, it was a mistake but i do know that lulu and wakka live on besaid. my mind was just lacking for a bit. anyway, thanks! it's good to have people point out flaws too. ...(reading2nd review)...wow. okay well here you go. you don't have to kick my ass at all and, i mean, wow! im amazed you like it that much. i wouldn't call it a masterpiece. it's okay. but THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Kurai Yume: thank you! (i don't know what else to say, sorry)
Captain Snippet: no, with the translator i use it says "hampad" gippal is a ham (big-headed, egocentric) and the airship is like his pad (place to hang out, room)! lol, i thought it was clever but hey, it was meant to be kinda stupid
Jamie, oOoDancingQueenoOo, and kingleby: thankyou, love the enthusiasm, and merry christmas to you too i did have fun (sorry for joining 'em up, i just got lazy)
Disclaimer: same as always! i don't own anything but original characters mentioned in past disclaimers
Chapter 9: Clues
Rikku woke up the next morning alone. She rolled over onto her back and opened her eyes. It was immediately apparent that she wasn't in her room. She sat up and looked around trying to figure out where she was. She easily recognized the room but as to why she was there, it took a few minutes.
"Gippal?" Rikku whispered not wanting to disturb the quiet that enveloped the room. Rikku swung her legs off the bed, her feet hitting the cold floor sending shivers up her spine. "Gippal? Are you here?" He obviously wasn't but she didn't want to believe he'd leave her after last night. Rikku tip-toed around checking drawers, under the bed, and even the ceiling fan. 'Where the heck is he?' she thought dropping onto the bed, her heart sinking. She fell back onto the bed and, as her head rolled to the left, she saw a sliver of white on the blue pillow. She sat up a little and saw a note stuck on the pillow. Unfolding it she read:
Hey Rikku!
Thought I left ya didn't you? Well, technically I did but hey, I had a meeting. Your dad wanted to talk about some things and I was supposed to meet Knyo, too. Also, I didn't want to wake you 'cause I was afraid you'd freak and not remember last night before you started KILLING me. 'Cause that's how you are. You like to jump right in. Anyway, I'm getting off subject. But I can't help teasing you! You're just too easy. Alright, so you can take a shower or whatever and I'll meet you in your room around noon. Later!
-Gippal
Rikku glared at the letter for a bit and then glanced around searching for a clock. Surprisingly she saw three alarm clocks and a wall clock. All said 10:53. Rikku stood up and quickly left Gippal's room running to her own. After taking a shower she got dressed and flopped down on her bed feeling refreshed. Seconds later, she was asleep. When Rikku finally woke, it was to a knock on the door.
"Wah!" she yelled flailing around and shooting up in bed. She glanced at the clock, which read 12:30. "What the hell? Where's Gippal?" she asked as another knock startled her into falling off the bed. "Ow! Gippal, you suck! But thanks for finally showing up!" she shouted sarcastically as she flung open the door. But it wasn't Gippal. It was yet another random digger.
"Uh, sorry," he said stepping back. "As you can tell, I'm not Gippal."
Rikku giggled and stepped outside closing the door behind her.
"Sorry. It's just, I was expecting Gippal a while ago," she apologized, smiling sheepishly.
"It's okay," he replied smiling warmly. "But I do have a message from him," he continued his smiling sliding off his face, replaced by a slight frown. "He wants you to go to his office right now."
"What!?" she yelled as a slight rage began to burn in her eyes. "But he was supposed to come here!"
"Yes, Miss Rikku. I know but he's experiencing some…difficulties at the moment. He really can't come"
"Fine," Rikku said with a quiet annoyance edging in her voice. "I'll go."
And she stalked off leaving the worker standing in the hallway just watching in slight awe. 'What a strange girl,' he thought. 'She may have title and respect but I'd hate to have to deal with that…energy everyday.'
In Gippal's Office
Rikku stalked in through Gippal's office doors steaming slightly after pushing her way through unusually over-crowded hallways. Something strange was going on. She could sense it. Normally the people would be in rooms working on machina or out in Bikanel desert digging.
"Gippal!" she yelled stopping about two feet in front of him tapping her foot impatiently and crossing her arms over her chest. "Why am I here and what is going on? Why is everybody here?"
"Uh, well," Gippal started distractedly, gently pushing Rikku towards a chair. She sat and he began. "Well, I had a meeting with your dad this morning. And he told me that he heard tell about a spy in Djose and a whole bunch of crap about the ancient machina, most of which I don't believe. Now, normally I just blow this kinda thing off." Rikku shook her head slightly giggling but at a glare from Gippal she stopped turning her attention back to him. He continued, "But shortly after he left, I was supposed to have a meeting with Knyo. But he didn't show up. And the more I thought about it, the more it seemed likely the spy was him. So, I checked the schedules for last night. You know when he said he was just getting off work?" Rikku nodded. "Well, he wasn't even scheduled to work!" Gippal yelled his volume increasing with each sentence. "In fact, he's not even registered to work here! We've no record of him even existing. Do you know what that means?" Rikku shook her head as Gippal gestured wildly obviously incredibly enraged. "That means someone can just walk in here and pretend to work here!" he exploded. "Says a lot about our security, right? I mean, we're always hiring new workers and there's so many in the first place, that noone would even question him." Gippal stopped for a few seconds trying to calm himself down. He continued in a normal tone. "So, I got to ask myself why. Why was he here? Who was he working for? And, was it him who tampered with the machina?"
"Gippal?" Rikku said interrupting Gippal's monologue.
"What?" he said grudgingly.
"what do you want to do about it?" she asked. At a shrug fromGIppal she made a suggestion, "I think the first thing we should do is find out what this ancient machina is."
"Yeah, but how?" he replied glaring at the ground, silently cursing himself for letting such a thing happen.
Rikku thought, he elbow on her knee and her chin resting in her hand. After a few moments of semi-silence(not total silence due to the noise in the hallways) Rikku got an idea. "Maechan!" she cried springing out of her chair.
"Maechan?" Gippal asked confused.
A/N: If Gippal does know Maechan, he doesn't in this fic. But it isn't a big deal either way.
"Yeah, Maechan," Rikku said excitedly. "He was this guy, an unsent actually, that we saw a lot on Yuna's pilgrimage."
"Wait," Gippal said, still confused. "Didn't the final summoning send all the unsent?" Rikku nodded. "Then isn't he dead?" Rikku nodded again. "Then how can we talk to him?"
"The Farplane of course! Rikku said as though Gippal was being rather stupid. "Maechan taught us pratically everything we needed to know on Yuna's pilgrimage. I'm sure he'll know!"
"Well, it seems we have no choice. It's a long shot but the only other clue we have is this," he said pulling out the diagram of the ancient machina.
"Lemme see," Rikku demanded snatching it out of his hands. "Woah! Complicated, are we? But hey, at least it had notes on it. I certainly can't read them, though." Rikku handed back the paper.
"Okay, so we're off to the Farplane?" he asked cooly, finally calming down now that he had a plan.
"Yup, let's go! Rikku replied cheerily as she bounded towards the doors.
Gippal led the way to his airship and they were on their way.
Hey! Sorry bout the wait. Yet another filler chapter. But at least you know a bad guy now, though I guess some of you must've figured it out. I know I'm late and I'm really sorry. But here it is. College is now creeping up on me and I'm really far behind. Too many applications and crap like that. So, I'll go now and try to work on all my stuff. Hope you all keep reading. I'll keep writing to the end though I'm thinking most of it won't be til summer. Hope you all have a good year! Bye!