"Try it now."

With a cynical expression, Rikku eventually respond with a nod at Shinra's instruction. While the whiz kid had proven himself time and time before, the feeling that Rikku felt on her body not too long ago doesn't exactly give her the best hope; she'd rather not feel the sensation similar to a thousand small hot needles poking at her body from neck level down to her feet.

"I don't see why you had to do all this," Rikku says as she fidgets with her new dressphere, "it was fine before."

"It's going to be better. Trust me."

With that said, Rikku takes a deep breath and gives the dressphere a mental command. The part of her that felt the discomfort from earlier prepares for the worse—after all, what could one re-syncing on Shinra's part could possible do to deter the malfunction? That question is sure to be answered soon enough as Rikku feels the energy start to pervade from her chest and soon her entire body is covered by it. Previously, Rikku felt everything end at this point with the painful bombardment of heat and puncturing sensations, this time however, something is different. As if feeling herself floating, Rikku suddenly hears the familiar sound of a friend she recently just made and before she knows it, she lands on Machina-Zell's back. Complete with a snug blue dressphere that hugs her lithe body, Rikku giggles as her new friend and weapon lets out a screeching sound that indicates its willingness for its brand new purpose.

"Hey you," Rikku slides herself off and skips to Machina-Zell's head and pets it, "looks like you're all fixed up!"

Another amalgam sound of machina and animal comes out of Machina-Zell as it reacts to Rikku's affection. Like some kind of pet, it rubs its head on Rikku nearly knocking over the Al Bhed in the process.

"Your new suit allows you to stick on his back without sacrificing your ability to control his attacks. Also, once in you're in that dressphere, the Machina Maw will have your full magic support."

With one hand still giving Machina-Zell attention, Rikku takes a few moments to look over her suit; to her it feels quite odd to have clothing this 'tight' to her skin—like she isn't wearing any clothes at all. Unlike most of her dresspheres, it also lacks exuberance in décor; the lines of black and lighter blue all over her body is probably the only thing keeping it from being an insipid ensemble to Rikku. Still, she knows that it has more purpose designed the way it is as she can feel energy emanating from it that seems to react accordingly to Machina-Zell.

"You've outdone yourself this time, Shinra!"

"It's an amazing relic from the past. I'm glad we have it, thanks to you."

Rikku's expression changes to a serious one as she remembers that finding the archaic Machina had its trials. Though she decides to cease paying the thought any more attention than she already has.

"Can you track down more of these kind of weapons?"

"I don't know. I'm just a kid."

The famous line of the whiz kid elicits a sigh from Rikku. Wanting to press the issue on, she is immediately cut off by the sound of her earpiece ringing. With Shinra already back to his business, Rikku answers while observing the updates on Machina-Zell's aesthetics.

"I told you not to call me," she greets the caller, "I'm still mad at you."

"Oh come on, Rikku," the caller is none other than Gippal who expected such an attitude from the young spunky Al Bhed, "I was just calling to see how you were doing."

"What do you think?"

"I'm hoping better."

With silence responding, Gippal gets the answer he needed. Still, as he walks pass his men who are working diligently to clean up his late father's mess, Gippal moves on with the conversation.

"I've checked every thing on my father's system. I think the last trace of that video was in that sphere."

Rikku was hoping as much—and with the sphere destroyed by the means of a gun, things are looking like the degrading evidence against her is gone for good.

"Any news on Leblanc?"

"None. I'm sure she'll turn up soon enough," another silent moment replies but Gippal doesn't need words to know what Rikku is thinking. "Knowing Leblanc, if she had a copy she would've broadcasted it by now."

"If you're trying to make me feel better, it's not helping you jerk."

Gippal fights the urge to chuckle before responding. "What I'm trying to say is she doesn't have one. Your cousin destroyed it."

"After watching it."

"Are you sure she did?"

"Why else would she be giving me the glares and silent treatment?"

Before heading to the lower deck of Celsius to meet with Shinra, Rikku ran into Yuna who barely gave her eye contact. If there was an inkling in Rikku to talk about it, Yuna made sure it didn't happen as she pressed on the elevator button and gone on her own merry way without so much as a word. The last few days haven't been easy and having Yuna furious at her doesn't exactly help the situation. After the battle with Judas and her own emotions, Rikku eventually made her way back to Yuna but she was nowhere to be seen; the only thing she left in the room was the sphere—destroyed by a gunshot. Rikku surmised the worse: Yuna watched it herself and the result was anger.

"Well, she could've not let Leblanc go. I don't know how that helped the situation at all."

Rikku couldn't agree more. The fact that there were only the ropes that was left in the chair and not that sadistic woman infuriated Rikku—but she had the pressing issue of the video and Yuna's anger to deal with. Leblanc will get hers and Rikku will make sure of it.

"Look, jerk, I have to go. Shinra just helped me with Zell and I want to clear my mind by trying him out."

"That's great! Maybe you can bring that machina along and we can test drive it together!"

"Next time I bring Zell along," Rikku puts an emphasis on the Machina Maw's name, "I'll be pointing his fire power at your direction."

"It's a date then be sure t—"

Before another word came out of Gippal, Rikku hangs up and reverts all her attention back at Machina-Zell. Perhaps if there was one thing that came out of her ordeal was that she has a brand new companion; one that is loyal to her and is also from the age of the Final Six. The thought of bringing him around Maechen does cross Rikku's mind, but perhaps that will be for the day when things are less disheveled with Rikku's emotional state. Right now, Rikku can only focus on finding ways to help relieve some of the things she had endured.

"Come on Zell," Rikku fakes a smile before climbing on top of the machina, "let's find a fiend and test out your new functions."

A few days before

Yuna parks her vehicle under the tower where she would be safe from the thunder that occasionally hits a traveller. The Thunder Plains is not the safest place to start her journey but it's the only place that she knows a certain someone won't possibly venture to for the reasons of astraphobia. Rikku is the person she needed to avoid the most for reasons that are obvious and not so obvious. Sliding off the machina after setting up the kickstand, Yuna walks over to the small cargo that it is dragging, minding her surroundings in case a fiend or any other unwanted presence comes her way. When she has deemed the situation safe, Yuna tinkers with the machina that is keeping the cargo chest secure. Implementing her security code only took mere moments, and soon the latch clicks, which gives the sign that it is ready to be opened.

"How are we doing there?" the moment Yuna opens the cargo, a small whimper comes out from the woman who was kept inside for the past few hours. "Oh I know, it's pretty hot in there, but at least we've dressed you for the occasion."

The idea of being 'dressed for the occasion' consists of wearing only blue lingerie and a few ropes, forcing the woman to be in a balled up position, her legs bent to as much they can be so that her knees would be touching her chest. With her arms pinned behind her by more ropes, there was really not much she can do. Even the movement of her head is taken away from her with it being bound to her knees.

"Oh you don't have to give me that look, luv," Yuna leans over towards the woman, grazing her hands across helpless woman's bare legs, "I can guarantee you that everything is well taken care of back at home. No one suspects a thing, Yuna."

With the gag tied tightly over her mouth, Yuna isn't able to express her full emotions with the taunting. Of course having been prisoner to this woman for the past few hours, she has been given very little to no room for anything. Having been mere cargo inside her own ship, Yuna is depleted and fighting her very best to keep her sanity with the situation encumbering her.

"Don't worry, we'll be back at Guadosalam soon enough and then," fidgeting with the ropes to ensure that they are still taut, the doppelganger Yuna then proceeds to further taunt Yuna by petting her in the head, "you'll be a bit more comfortable! Doesn't that sound good, luv?"

While her face is an exact replica, her voice now shifts back to her normal one, which is a bit more off putting for Yuna. Having Leblanc take over her form has probably been one of the most distressing thing Yuna has experienced and it's only the beginning.

"Now, let's get back on our way before some fiend decides to attack," Leblanc reaches for the lid causing Yuna's eyes to widen. "Behave, okay?"

"NUU! NUUUU! UUN'H! MMH MM NU!"

Yuna screams fervently through the gag, struggling tremendously with the very limited movement given, trying her desperate best to gain some sort of pity from her sadistic captor, but to no avail. Soon she is once again covered in darkness and with the sound of latch clicking, Yuna is once again sealed inside without any sort of hope for freedom unless Leblanc deems otherwise. Having screamed and cried herself to the point of fatigue, Yuna does the only thing she can do at the moment: lay her head on the hard surface of her prison and hope that Rikku—or anyone else for that matter won't be deceived for too much longer. She would hope that whatever plans Leblanc has, it won't jeopardize the safety of her friends and family.

End?