Chapter 18: The Celsius (II)

When morning came, the Celsius was still docked over Bevelle. Yuna and Paine, however, had already left for Luca. Rikku couldn't blame them; after having witnessed the devotion of Yuna's believers in Bevelle, she could understand her cousin perfectly. Paine, on the other hand, had the very real problem of handling the Guardians she'd stationed for the failed Operation Djose. Even without her own logistical headaches, Rikku knew Paine would stick by Yuna's side to see her friend safely back to Besaid.

The Gullwings weren't quite as lucky – the damage to the airship was more extensive than Rikku had guessed. Since Jecht still hadn't returned to the Celsius, Rikku decided to offer her help to fix up the ship while Auron scoured the city for their missing companion.

Still, as she stood before the doors to the engine room, she had to admit that it wasn't exactly generosity that brought her there. Taking a deep breath, she entered the room and stopped short. Gippal was smart enough to figure his way around most machina, and Brother and Buddy had been taking care of repairs on the Celsius ever since they unearthed it. On the other hand, Rikku had done little more than help pilot the Celsius. She had to admit she was a little out of her depth as she took in all the tubing, pipes, and wires that powered the airship's flight. She spotted Gippal hunched over a tiny control panel, furiously typing in commands. After another moment, she found Brother's feet sticking up out of a service duct.

"Hey guys," she called out. "Heard you could use some help?"

Gippal's fingers paused momentarily. "Well, I could use the help, but your brother…"

There was a banging noise, and then several grunts as Brother squirmed his way out of the tiny crawlway. Sitting up, he tossed aside the soldering iron in his hand and fixed her under an acrimonious glare.

Instantly on the defensive, Rikku frowned back at him. "Hey! I showed up, didn't I? Better late than never."

"That is not why I am giving you my judgy stare!" Brother huffed. "Do you feel judged yet?"

Rikku's eyebrows rose and she felt her cheeks begin to color. "Gippal, did you tell him?!"

"Tell me what?!"

Hunching his shoulders – whether from guilt or laughter, she couldn't tell – Gippal glanced at her with his eye scrunched shut from his overly-wide grin. "Don't look at me, Princess. I didn't say a word."

Brother cursed roundly under his breath. "You two! You will stop talking behind my back! What did you do now, Rikku?"

Auron. She thought Brother wouldn't appreciate her answer, so she patted her cheeks down and tried to think pure, Bevellian thoughts. "We were just sunbathing," she mumbled under her breath, causing Gippal to choke down a snort. "I admit to nothing! Tell me why you're trying to make me feel guilty first!"

Brother let out a dramatic sigh. "Yesterday. That was no dressphere. You do not even wear Garment Grids anymore! Do not try to fool me," he warned Rikku, pointing a finger at her. "What happened to you?"

Rikku's scowl faded as she stared at her brother, wondering how to tell him. They'd both already lost Keyakku and he'd cut himself off from Cid, too. Family was important to him – to both of them. She wondered if he'd be able to handle the truth. Meeting his eyes, she spoke slowly. "Are you sure you really want to know?"

Silence reigned, broken only by the low hum of the Celsius's engines.

Finally, Brother answered her, just as slowly. "You and I, we are family. You know I will love you no matter how many stupid ideas you have. You will still be my sister even if you decide to marry that asshole guarding you. You cannot stop me from worrying about you." He leaned forward, propping his elbow on his bent knee. "So you will tell me what you are hiding."

Guilt flooded her. Nervously, her eyes cut to Gippal's back.

Brother, still scrutinizing her, caught her glance and scowled. "What does he know that I do not?" Under the indignation, there was a clear note of hurt in his voice.

Gippal turned around at that, leaning against the wall and crossing his ankles. "Look, I don't know anything. She tells me even less than she tells you. I only make educated guesses." His eye focused on Rikku, narrowing shrewdly. "But I think we'd rather have facts right now."

"Well, uh… only if you promise not to get mad first," she said, her nervousness blooming.

"I will get mad no matter what you say! Because you did not tell me yet! But I will be madder if you do not tell me at all!" Brother shouted at her.

Wincing, Rikku steeled herself. "Alright. You asked for it!" She called up her exosuit, eliciting sounds of surprise from both of them. "So, um. This is my power suit, the Machina Maw-EX! There's an interesting story about how I got it…"

As she launched into her explanation, both Brother and Gippal soaked in her words. Brother's face grew more and more ashen with each revelation, while Gippal's hard stare remained fixed on the toes of his boots. By the time she finished, Brother was reduced to a sobbing mess, his head held between both of his hands.

"You are dead!" he howled.

"Uh, excuse me? No?!" she huffed, crossing her arms.

"Well, you're kind of halfway there," Gippal pointed out. "You're only here because you're trapped in a never-ending dream. If you ever wake up, you'll be dead for real."

Rikku made sure her piercing glare relayed her thanks to Gippal as Brother's sobs increased in volume.

"Fine, fine, I'll let you two have your family moment. Don't mind me, I've just got a ship to repair," Gippal grumbled with false sarcasm as he backed away to give them some privacy.

Rikku softened her glare into a grateful smile, returning her attention to her wrecked sibling. "Look. Gippal might be technically right, but I'm still here, and I'm still me! See?" She dropped her suit and kneeled by him, trapping him in a hug. She was gratified to find that he didn't flinch away from the contact. "Part of the reason I came back was because I knew I couldn't leave you alone," she said, patting his head. "Who'd look after you then, you big baby?"

Brother sniffed wetly, swiping at his eyes. "Does our father know?"

Rikku scowled. "Cid knows about Auron and he definitely doesn't approve. I don't think he knows about me. And I don't care, either. Neither should you!"

Hiccupping, Brother grabbed her and crushed her in a fierce hug. "You are my last family, Rie-Rie. I am so sorry I failed you."

Surprise trickled over her. "Failed me? How'd you ever fail me?"

Brother finally released her, slumping backwards. "You were in love. You have always felt about Auron the same way I feel about Yuna. But that is the difference. You did something about it, and it turned you into… this." He dropped his head into his hands. "I called you silly, and did not take you seriously. If I had listened then… if I had stopped you –"

"Hey," she said gently, pulling his hands down. "You can't tell a person to stop feeling the way they do just because you don't like it. Feelings don't work like that, they're not something you can shut on and off like a switch." She could feel Gippal's eye boring a hole into her head from across the room. Swallowing, she refocused on her brother. "Take it from me, I've been trying to tell you to forget about Yunie for years now."

Brother laughed harshly. "You know. For the first time, you are making a convincing argument." He rubbed a hand down his face. "But this is not about me. I do not know how you are going to solve this thing with Auron. Even if you say you are not dead, he is dead. Very, very dead." He looked up at her, his green eyes bright and hard. "You are going to end up hurting yourself again. And I will not be able to protect you, again."

Rikku gave him a sad, fond smile. "Thanks. I really mean that. But I'm not yours to protect anymore. I'm an aeon now. That means I," she tapped her heart, "protect you." Her finger landed on his forehead. She gave him a tremulous smile. "It's kinda in the job description."

Brother swiped her finger away, scowling. "What is it you just said? Do not tell me to stop feeling like your big brother. That I will always be, whether you like it or not." He looked away, and let out a heavy sigh. "Do not think I did not notice. You and your little friends have a plan, so I will not stop you. But," he said sharply, jerking his head back around to glare at her. "You will promise me that you will come back. We are family. Even if you are the weird one now."

Holding back a watery smile, Rikku threw herself into his arms. As he hugged her, she couldn't help but think of Keyakku and Cid. Somehow, despite the odds, Brother hadn't followed in their footsteps. She was taken aback by the surprising amount of relief that flooded through her at the realization. We're family. We always will be. Her hug tightened and tears pricked behind her eyelids.

Eventually she pushed him away first; he'd finally stopped crying into her shoulder. "Listen. There's one thing you can still do for me right now," she said when she was sure he was paying attention.

Brother pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose into it loudly. "The Celsius is mine and you cannot have it."

Glaring, Rikku crossed her arms. "No, you dork. I want you to find Calli and apologize to her. The sooner the better."

Brother's shoulders stiffened. "Why should I? She is the one who yelled at me first." The way he hunched over when he said it showed how little conviction he had in his own words.

Reaching over, she paffed him in the arm with her fist. "Because family's important to you. And because clinging to that torch you've been holding onto for Yunie will only get you burned in the end. Yunie's happy with Tidus! Let her go already and look at what's in front of you, for cryin' out loud! If you want to have a big fat Pollendina family, get out there and make one yourself."

Brother turned red, his eyes widening. "Rikku!" he sputtered. "You should not talk that way about Calli! You do not know how she feels!"

At this, Gippal snorted loudly enough for both of them to hear. "Brother, everybody except you knows how Calli feels by now."

Brother stared at his hands for a moment, silently opening and closing them. Finally, he cursed roundly in Al Bhed, scrambling to his feet. "Fine! I will find her and apologize! Do not think I am doing it just because you told me to!"

Rikku sat back on her heels, grinning. "I sure hope not. Now go and fix it, you big loser. She's been waiting for you to catch up with her for years."

Scowling, Brother turned to Gippal. "You will be fine here alone, yes? Do not break my ship."

"I'm not alone. I have her," Gippal replied lazily, pointing a thumb at Rikku. "Stop worrying about your baby, she's in good hands."

Brother's eyes narrowed. "You had better be talking about the Celsius." Turning he stomped towards the door, pausing to shoot one last glare at Rikku. "I will be back! You! Do not leave before then!"

"Okay, okay," Rikku huffed, standing up and dusting herself off. As the door hissed shut, she turned to Gippal. "Right, so what do you need me to do here?" She stopped short as she realized he'd tensed up the moment Brother left them. He continued to work, ignoring her. "… Gip?" Her brow furrowed.

"You're probably wondering why I'm taking this so well," Gippal said casually, not looking up from his workstation. "I knew something was up." His fingers paused over the controls; a fine tremor passed through them. "I'm just glad you're not dead."

She approached him carefully, like he was a cat that would startle away if she moved too quickly. "I guess it's a little late to say I'm sorry, huh?"

Grimacing, Gippal avoided looking at her. "What for? You don't owe me anything, Rikku."

Watching him ignore her so studiously, Rikku was struck with a pang of guilt. She remembered how she'd found him when she returned from the Farplane; how haggard he'd looked, the remnants of a year he'd spent suffering while she was gone. "I know. But I'm still sorry I couldn't return your feelings. At least you know why now." Smiling cautiously, she poked him gently in the arm with her elbow. "Look on the bright side! At least you're not trapped in a problematic relationship with a freak, right?"

Gippal looked down at her, his expression hard. "Yeah, you save your feelings for dead people." There was an unusual bitter edge to his snark.

"Gippal?" Gippal never lost his cool. She could see an explosion was imminent, though, and waited for the fallout with a looming sense of dread.

"I'll admit I still care about you, okay? But it's not just that." He balled a fist, hitting it against the metal bulkhead of the ship with a dull thud, before turning to face her. "You're my friend, and one of the smartest Al Bhed around. There's no one in Spira who knows more about alchemy than you do. You're the only person who's ever gone on two successful Pilgrimages, and one of the only people to travel to the bottom of the Farplane and come back alive. When are you gonna get that you're special? You keep thinking that you don't matter and it drives me nuts," he ground out. "You're a legend now! A Yevon-damned aeon! Straight outta myth, powerful enough to be called a god! And yet you're still throwing yourself into danger and taking risks like you think it won't matter if you die!" He took a deep breath. "Even aeons can be killed, Rikku. You know that."

Stung, Rikku lashed out. "I'm not the Fahrenheit, Gippal! I'm not a thing you can pack away in a museum just because you think I'm some kind of precious artifact now! You can't stop me from taking risks or living my life the way I want to!"

"I know! I know that, and that's not what I'm saying." He puffed out a frustrated groan, turning away from her. "I just want you to realize that you matter to a lot of people. And when you act like you don't, you're hurting more than just yourself."

The sincerity of his words whisked the snarky retort she'd been preparing right out of her mouth. He sounded… like Paine and Yuna had. Upset and disappointed, because she hadn't trusted him with her secrets. Her hand moved to the damp patch on her shoulder, still wet with Brother's tears. She swallowed. "… Maybe you have a point."

That got him to turn around and give her an exasperated glare. "You think?"

"Hey! You do know that even if I'd boarded the Fahrenheit I wouldn't have died, right?"

Gippal snorted. "No, but I bet you would've disappeared like Tidus did." He raised an eyebrow at her surprise. "What, you think I didn't notice that loudmouth went missing? If everything was as cut and dried as you think, Yuna wouldn't have looked so wrecked this morning."

Sighing, Rikku sank down against the panels next to him, relaxing slightly. "You're right. I don't really know what happens if my body gets destroyed out here. I mean, getting injured still hurts while it's happening, but it's not like I can die permanently. Not as long as my Fayth stone is intact." She frowned. "I'm just not eager to go rushing out there to get myself killed and find out."

"Really? Could've fooled me," Gippal scoffed. "Besides, what would happen to Auron if you just disappeared like that? Unsent don't usually stick around without a reason."

She winced. "I know. He's already mad at me for not letting him fight at my side."

"There a reason for that?" Gippal turned around and began tapping at the control panel nonchalantly. "Sir Auron's a legend. Why wouldn't you want a one-man army backing you up when you're facing someone as crazy as Berrik?"

"I've got my reasons," she answered evasively. "But you're right. I was careless. I'm sorry about trying to fight off Berrik on my own. We're a team. All of us."

"Huh. Well, as long as you realize," Gippal said, continuing his work without looking up. He felt her stare, and paused long enough to grace her with a reassuring smirk. "Are you gonna just sit there looking pretty or can you make yourself useful?"

Never change, Gip. "Still friends?" she asked, holding out her fist.

"As if I'd turn down a fist bump from an aeon." He knocked his knuckles against hers, his smirk softening into a genuine smile. "You're gonna have to show up for all of my birthdays in that suit from now on, you know."

"It's a deal!" She giggled. "By the way… Auron and I aren't gonna stick around Bevelle for much longer. Once we find Jecht, we need to get to Zanarkand. It's kind of time sensitive."

"Zanarkand, huh?" Gippal leaned back, crossing his arms and tapping a finger against his sleeve. She could see the gears in his head ticking as he worked it out. "You're trying to stop Auron from turning into a fiend, aren't you. Why Zanarkand, though? What's so special about that place?"

"It's the place where it all started. The answer is there. It has to be."

Gippal gave her a measured look; his silent appraisal was unnerving. Finally, he shrugged. "Right. Then I guess we better get to work repairing this ship." He pointed at the soldering iron Brother had left behind on the floor. "Go pick that up for me, will you?"

She scrambled to follow his order, scooping up the tool and bringing it back to him. "Sure, but you know we can reach Zanarkand without the Celsius, right?"

"You guys can get to Zanarkand without the Celsius. What about me, though?"

Rikku frowned. "What about you?"

Gippal sighed as if she was being particularly dense on purpose. "Because I'm coming with you, naturally." Seeing her gape, he raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come on. Everybody knows how you got after that little time traveling stunt you pulled. You think anyone wants to see you like that again?" Flipping the iron in his hand, he pocketed it and tapped another panel on the view screen. "You haven't really figured out what you're doing yet, right? So I'll come with and help out. Just this once, though." He shook his head. "I can't believe I'm stacking the deck for my own competition."

"Wait, so you're serious? You're really gonna tag along with us all the way to Zanarkand?" Rikku squinted at him. "What's in it for you?"

Gippal rolled his eye. "Look, you might find this hard to believe, but I knew Auron back then too. I like the guy, alright? I just wanna make sure he survives. Or whatever it is Unsent do. Besides, you know what they say." He tapped his forehead. "Two brains are better than one."

"But Brother would be driving the Celsius there." Rikku smirked. "That automatically negates one of our brains."

"Bold of you to assume I was talking about you. I meant Buddy." He snickered.

"H-hey! I know what I'm doing! Most of the time," she trailed off, sulking.

"You do? Okay then," he said, pulling out the soldering iron and handing it back to her. "Get down that crawlway and finish what Brother started."

"Slave driver," she muttered, snatching the iron from him. As she stomped over to the hatch, though, she couldn't stop the grin that bubbled to her lips.

.x.x.x.

There was no doubt about it; Jecht was moping.

"Okay, so what's up with you?" Rikku plopped down on the stool next to him. She waved a hand at Barkeep, who trilled and pushed a colorful drink with a little paper umbrella on it towards her.

Jecht grumbled, staring into his glass. "S'nothin'."

Bumping him with her shoulder, Rikku took a delicate sip of her drink. "Auron had to drag you back here and you're being grumblier than him. Something's definitely up."

"Yeah. He got laid."

From the balcony above, she heard Auron shift on one of the beds. "Do not make me get up and come down there," he warned loudly enough for both of them to hear.

Jecht smirked at her. "You heard the stiff. Let me drink my milk in peace." He picked up his glass and raised it to his lips.

Rikku frowned. "Is this about Tidus?"

Growling, Jecht slammed the glass down onto the countertop, sloshing milk everywhere. "Sorry," he said to the hypello behind the bar, who blinked back at him worshipfully. Shaking out his hand, he faced Rikku. "Look, I'm a big boy now. I know we don't gotta expect no parades, balloons, or cryin' women in the streets when we save the world anymore."
From the way he said it, she could tell he was actually disappointed by that. Jecht might have left his celebrity behind, but the celebrity would never really leave him. He didn't dwell on it, though, pushing on mulishly.

"But I was hopin' I'd at least have a lil' time with my family, ya know?" He slumped over, looking like an enormous kicked puppy. It was more effective since he'd stopped wearing his hair white; he'd changed it back to its natural brown as soon as Rikku informed him that the others on the Celsius knew about them. "I didn't even get a chance to talk to Yuna and Tidus alone, and bam! They're gone again. I just wanted more time with 'em, is all."

"You'll get your chance," Rikku reassured him. "Besides, you can get your revenge on Berrik when we see him again. You know he'll be back for me."

"Damn straight I will," Jecht ground out, clenching a fist. "Say, 'bout that. You doin' okay, Blondie? It ain't no fun, havin' someone like that on your tail."

"It's fine. It's not like I'll have to deal with him alone, right?" She grinned, remembering Gippal's admonishment. "I'm counting on you two to back me up this time. We'll get him for sure!"

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about," Jecht said, brightening up enough to return her high-five. "So what's the score? Are we waitin' for bedtime before we sneak off to Zanarkand?" He glanced over at the hypello and lifted a finger to his lips.

"Your sheecret is shafe with mee, Sher Jecht!" Barkeep replied, wriggling his fingers at them.

"No, actually. We're just waiting for the others to finish repairing the Celsius. Then Brother's gonna fly us all there."

There was a rustle, and then Auron came into sight, leaning over the balcony with a disgruntled look. "Convenient. What's the catch?"

"Weeeell, Gippal said he wanted to come with." Hurriedly, she lifted her fruity drink and took another, longer sip, avoiding Auron's penetrating gaze.

"Welp, here we go," Jecht muttered, reaching for his milk to copy her.

"Gippal." Auron straightened, his biceps – prominently on display since he still wasn't wearing his coat – bulging as he gripped the railing tightly. "You told him of your plan?"

"Not exactly." Rikku toyed with her cocktail umbrella nervously, trying to appreciate the view of Auron's finely muscled arms while studiously ignoring that he was flexing because of her, rather than for her. "Gip's pretty smart. He figured it out himself, and he wanted to help."

"Help. Your former beau wants to help. Me. An Unsent." His eye bored into her.

"Look! He's the only one who knows about your… um. Problem. Well, him and Barkeep now," she added contritely. The hypello simply continued to sway hypnotically, cooing at Jecht. "Besides, I owe him that much. Please?"

Grudgingly, Auron released the rail. "Fine. Besides, if Braska's grand plan doesn't work you should have a friend by your side for the fallout."

Jecht sighed at that, putting down his milk and spinning around to glare at Auron. "C'mon, man. D'ya gotta be such a mood killer all the time? This plan is gonna work."

"Yeah!" Rikku agreed hotly. "And we're taking along a friend, not a rebound! Your friend, by the way. At least that's how Gippal thinks of you, which is why he wants to help us. And I think we should let him."

Auron spent a few long moments staring at her, his face carefully blank. Finally, he let out a noncommittal "Hnn."

Jecht leaned back and crossed his arms. "Wow, Blondie. Ya got 'im to fold." His smug grin widened. "Wonder what exactly ya did to him to make him so—"

"Jecht." Auron squinted, the beginnings of a frown forming. "Quit while you have a head."

"Don't you mean 'Quit while you're ahead'?" Rikku asked.

"No."

Jecht's potentially disasterrific response was drowned out by the crackling of the intercom. After a brief eruption of static, Brother's voice sounded over the speakers.

"This is your leader speaking! We are leaving for Zanarkand now, so hold on to your butts! Except for Sir Auron. You are not to touch Rikku's butt!"

There was a loud whine and a crackle of static.

"Sorry Rikku!" Calli's voice called out. "Just ignore him! And you can touch any butt you want, Sir Auron!"

Calli's call was ended by a loud, indignant cry, and another explosive crackle of static, before Brother's voice carried over once again.

"NO! THERE WILL BE NO BUTT GRABBING ON MY AIRSHIP!"

As more static crackled between the sounds of squabbling on the bridge, Auron looked over at Rikku and raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain you are related?"

"Pretty sure," she answered, deciding to chug the rest of her cocktail down all at once.

The intercom battle resolved itself, and Gippal's voice rang out. "We're all clear to launch. And Rikku? Just do it in private next time, where Brother can't see you."

Brother's screaming was clearly audible over Gippal's comm line. "NEXT TIME? WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NEXT TI—"

The speakers finally cut out, but the room was still filled with Jecht's loud, raucous laughter.

Groaning, Rikku dropped her head into her folded arms and began to thump it against the countertop. "This is gonna be a long trip, isn't it."

.x.x.x.

They reached the edge of Zanarkand by dusk; Brother refused to fly the airship any further into the city than the base of the mountains, by the old campsite. Rikku was glad for it; it seemed somehow wrong to upset the gently-moving river of souls that still encircled the ancient city. Brother and Gippal had joined them on the deck; it was obvious that Brother was reluctant to let her go.

"Hey," she said, pulling him to the side. Tiptoeing, she reached up and tugged on his ponytail, grinning. "I miss the Mohawk."
He pouted and rubbed at his eyes. "Are you sure you do not want me to come along? It is not like we have other places to be. We are Gullwings! We do what we want!"

"Absolutely sure," Rikku replied. "You and Calli need to work things out, and Zanarkand is not the place to do it." She softened her smile. "Stop worrying. I'll be fine. And I'll always come back to you."

Brother reached out and hugged her. "You had better. I do not care if you succeed or you fail at your mission. I just want you to come home again after, okay?"

"Deal," she said, releasing him reluctantly.

"Now," he growled in Spiran, straightening his shoulders and raising his voice. "I have something to say!" He marched stiffly towards Auron, singling him out. "You! I do not trust you! You are too old for Rikku. And too dead!" He did his best to glare Auron down, but even with two eyes, he soon found himself cowering away from Auron's flinty, cold stare.

Coughing into his hand, he wiped it on his overalls, and then held it out to Auron. "But Rikku has chosen you. So you will swear that you will not hurt her. And we will shake hands like men."

Auron eyed Brother's outstretched hand. After a moment, he reached out to shake it.

Brother grinned fiercely and tightened his grip, trying to pull Auron in. His expression changed rapidly when he didn't manage to budge the other man in the slightest. His smile became pained and sweat beaded on his forehead when Auron tightened his grip instead.

"I will never intentionally hurt Rikku." Auron slowly pumped Brother's hand up and down, boring a hole into Brother with his lone eye as he did so. "And I will protect her from anyone who tries to obstruct her own choices."

To his credit, Brother didn't beg for mercy or try to free himself from Auron's punishing hold. Instead, he raised a shaking hand to clap Auron a few times on the shoulder. "If you ever make my baby sister cry, we will play a game of blitzball together. And then we will see who is doing the crying."

Auron lifted an eyebrow. "Agreed." He finally released Brother, who staggered away with a high-pitched squeak, cradling his hand and blinking back tears.

Gippal caught him, shaking his head. "Always gotta be a tough guy, don't you? Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on Rikku for you."

Brother stopped short at that, staring at Gippal. "What? You mean you are staying with them?"

Rikku winced. You didn't tell him? she mouthed, then rolled her eyes at Gippal's careless shrug.

"Yeah. There's some stuff I wanted to see in Zanarkand and this is the right time to explore the city. All the fiends were cleaned out by the Guardians, and I'll even have my own entourage of supernatural bodyguards!" He gestured at Rikku, Auron, and Jecht. "It's the perfect opportunity."

Still shaking his hand out, Brother squinted at Gippal suspiciously. "The Machine Faction will need you very soon. It is not like you can ignore what happened in Bevelle." He glanced at Rikku, then sighed. "I did not tell you yet. Father sent me another message. Cid is turning himself in."

"What?!" Rikku yelled. "Who's he turning himself in to?"

"Grand Maester Shelinda." Brother refused to meet her eyes, looking guilty.

"And you were gonna tell me this when?" Rikku started forward, only to be held back by Jecht.

" 'Ey. We're already here. Ya gotta let the others deal with this one, Rikku."

"I did not tell you because I thought we would handle it." He flushed. "I also thought Gippal would be there to talk to Shelinda for him."

Gippal rubbed his chin. "It's a smart move. With Berrik gone, the rest of the world will consider Cid the de facto leader of the Restorationist faction now, whether he wants to be or not. He's trying to end the war by turning himself in."

"They're gonna execute him!" The words became more real when they left her mouth. Despite the shambles that their relationship was in, the last thing Rikku wanted to see was her own father dying at the hands of the New Yevonites.

Auron gently extracted her from Jecht's hold. "I highly doubt Shelinda wishes to herald the start of this new, fragile peace with even more bloodshed."

"Auron's right," Gippal said, clapping Brother on the back. "Besides, you've got this one covered. Just don't let your old man cow you. I'll be back soon anyhow, and if you get cold feet, remember: you helped blow up Cid's ship!" He shook his head. "Seriously. You'll be fine, Brother. You already lead the Gullwings, right? The Al Bhed who didn't drink the Restorationist tea are all pretty laid back. So this won't be so different from that."

Rikku fell silent as she watched Brother process Gippal's words. A tiny smile worked its way onto her face. It's the first time anyone's ever sincerely told Brother that they think he can lead the Al Bhed. She could almost feel his pride like it was her own as his shoulders straightened and a resolute look stole over his face.

"Right! I am a leader!" he repeated, nodding at Gippal. "Rikku! You do not worry! I will take care of father's mess! Like I always do," he added, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah," she managed to say, waving. Turning before he could notice her crying and catch the bug, she tugged at Auron's sleeve. "Let's get going, you guys."

They left the ship, waiting at the campsite until the Celsius departed. When the dull roar of the airship finally faded, the soft, longing song of the pyreflies slowly took over the silence of the dead city. The four of them soaked it in quietly, a companionable peace settling between them. Facing the others, Rikku gave them a determined smile.

This is it.

"Well… to Zanarkand," she said, leading the way.