Shadow of Darkness

This chapter is late but… here you have it. The final chapter of Shadow of Darkness! I would like to thank all of my readers so much! Your reviews actually helped get this story done! And I would also like to say, keep a look out for the sequel. I wasn't intending to write one at first, but one of you asked about it and, after some thought, I've come up with an idea. So, I hope to see you when the first chapter of that comes out! And now, without further ado…

Chapter 19:

"Where am I?"

Slowly, Rikku climbed to her feet and shielded her eyes against the glare of light. A field of long grass stretched out before her, filled with dancing pyreflies and little else. Oddly, she felt at ease. "Is this the Farplane? Am- am I dead?"

"You're not dead, simply unconscious. This would be your subconscious." A dark haired woman walked up to her and smiled faintly.

"I have a peaceful subconscious. Somehow, I'm surprised…" She glanced at the woman. "Marin?" Marin nodded.

Rikku frowned. "Wait, if this isn't the Farplane, how did you get here?"

"The brain is really quite powerful." She touched one of the pyreflies and it vanished. "When you fainted, your subconscious called to me."

"Fainted? Oh- oh no! Effram! He's- Gippal's-"

Marin held up her hand to silence her. Her face lit up with a youthful smile that betrayed her young age in a way her mannerisms did not. "You defeated him. Effram, that is."

"I- I did?" she stammered incredulously.

"With my help, naturally. And your friend's. He distracted Effram and Effram let his guard down."

"Oh. Naturally."

"You could've done it on your own, you know. When you called to me, I found so much raw power bottled up within you! You were too afraid to hurt Effram. You were holding it in check. You really are too 'good' for your well being."

Rikku flushed faintly. Oh, where had she heard something similar? "But how did I- you-?"

Marin shrugged. "Truly, all I did was give your brain a nudge in the right direction. You did the rest. And now, Effram is gone."

Gone? Did she really… "But…" Rikku plopped to the ground. "I- I know he was crazy, but I didn't want him dead!"

"He was already dead."

"What?" the blond squawked. What was with Spira and the dead coming back to seek revenge?

Marin nodded. "He was executed two years ago after he tried to assassinate Maester Seymour. He was furious about Spira's treatment of the Al Bhed. And apparently Maester Seymour had his family executed for not complying with the laws of Yevon."

"Well, I felt no love for that jerk either…"

"Anyway… He possessed the body of a bitter bartender- one who was once a friend of Effram's. I suppose they both wanted revenge on Spira." She sighed. "All that hate…"

"What? Wait, that old Deek guy said-"

Marin planted her hands on her hips. "Oh, come on now! Master Deek is nearly ninety years old! Just how often do you think he actually gets out to check on his old students?"

Rikku gaped at her. "Oh, well excuse me!" Then she paused. "But wait just a minute, Deek said he felt when you died. Wouldn't he feel when Effram died as well?"

"What he felt was the transfer of power. Effram clung to his power through death. Enough of this chitchat. I told you all you wanted to know." She nudged her. "Isn't it time you woke up? I'd like to return to the Farplane."

"So… wait, the dead really do go to the Farplane?" This totally threw a wrench in the Al Bhed beliefs!

"Well naturally. Where else would the go? Now wake up!"

Rikku opened her eyes abruptly and found herself staring at a horribly bland canvas ceiling. She heard voices… somewhere. They were distant. She couldn't make out what was being said. Carefully, she glanced to her left and saw several cots. One slept Barthello, whose ribcage and head were tightly bound, and another slept Gippal, who had accumulated a matching pair of broken bones- an arm and a leg. Kimhari sat slumped in a near by chair, sleeping as well. His midsection and one of his great paws were bandaged. Slowly, ever slowly, she sat up and then winced in pain. Looking down at herself, she saw that she too was extensively bandaged.

"Yeesh, I can't believe we're still alive."

She glanced around the room. By the looks of it, she was in an infirmary. Besaid's infirmary, considering there was a map of Besaid on the wall across from her bed. That meant… "Yunie!"

Despite every limb screaming in protest, she swung her bandaged legs over the edge of the bed and pushed herself to her feet. She gripped the bed's headboard tightly as the room reeled beneath her feet. She took a deep, steadying breath. 'It's okay, girl.' Once the room straightened, she took an awkward step forward. That successful, she took another, and another, tottering like an elderly woman towards the infirmary's exit.

"A smashing success by Rikku," she murmured to herself, slightly amused.

Taking another deep breath, she pulled the door flap aside and peered out. It was night and a brilliant bonfire shot yellow sparks into the sky. It seemed the entire village had gathered and were celebrating. And sitting around the fire, in the arms of a tired-looking fiancé, was an equally tired-

"Yunie!"

Her cousin glanced over her shoulder and smiled weakly. With Tidus' help she stood. "You're up. Lulu said you'd be out until tomorrow, at least."

She hobbled over to Yuna. "You know me. I can't be still for too long." She sniffled tearfully. "Oh Yunie!" She threw her arms around her. "Ow-ow-ow, you're alive!"

"Careful, you'll re-open your wounds." Yuna smiled despite this. "It's thanks to you that we're all okay, Rikku."

Rikku pulled out of the embrace and glanced at her and Tidus. "But… how?"

"You defeated the jerk who put this curse or whatever it was on us," Tidus replied. "That broke the spell. So says Lulu, anyway. And there's no way I'm going to argue it with her…"

"You serious?" Rikku arched a brow.

Yuna nodded, taking her cousin by the arm. "Lulu spread the word about what you've done. The villagers don't blame you for any of it anymore." She gave her an ironic smile. "You're the new hero who saved Spira."

"Hey! I- I don't want that title! It's yours."

"Trust me, I don't mind giving it up." She grinned and nodded towards the throngs of people who finally noticed Rikku and were surging forward. "Are you ready? Your fans await."

"You… you did this on purpose!" she squawked, stumbling backwards. Oh no, she'd be just like Yuna now- constantly badgered by awestruck people making pilgrimages to see her!

Beside her, Wakka chuckled. "Would you rather be hated again?"

"No! I'd rather… I'd rather be the nobody I was!" But even then she hesitated a bit. Well, perhaps she could get used to a hero's way of life. For a little while, anyway. It certainly beat returning to a life filled with silence, didn't it? Though they did look a bit intimidating, squawking at her in admiration. "Well, can you make them back off? I'd like to go rest. Yes, rest would be nice."

"That's probably a smart idea," Yuna agreed. "I'll tell them to leave you alone for tonight."

"Yes. You do that." She stumbled back, slowly making her way to the infirmary. There was a clap behind her. Then another. And another. It built up speed and volume until it became a deafening applause. Rikku glanced over her shoulder and was greeted with the sight of the entire village of Besaid and all its visitors cheering. Cheering for her. She smiled a little, with a laugh. She gave them a small wave and the cheering became even louder as she disappeared into the infirmary.

''''

A week had passed before Rikku was finally able to leave Besaid. And she was nearly ecstatic when that time came. She was tired of all the reverent visitors she'd received- those apologizing for grudges against the Al Bhed (though those were nice to hear), others who nearly bent over backwards to show her gratitude.

She, Gippal, and Barthello boarded a ship heading firstly for Kilika Island, set off by a grand procession.

"Better watch out, your highness. Soon you'll be getting marriage proposals from all of Spira's big wigs," Gippal teased, following her up the ship's plank.

Rikku groaned at the mere thought of it. "Don't even joke about that." She leaned against the ship's railing and waved at the send off party.

"Well, I'd marry you if I wasn't going to marry Dona first," Barthello said seriously.

Rikku gave him an amused glance.

"Hey! Hands off, meathead. I've got first dibs." Gippal reached over, jabbing Barthello in the chest.

"What am I, up for auction?" Rikku squeaked.

"I've got five hundred gil, baby. Will that suffice?"

"Not even!" She snorted, though she could feel the heat rising in her face. "Anyway, stop making fun of me. It's not nice."

"What if I'm not?"

She squinted up at his smirking face. Not teasing? With that look on his face? She gave him a light shove. "The day you stop making fun of me is the day I work as your secretary or whatever. Which will be never."

Gippal's grin broadened. "Hey, haven't you ever heard the old saying 'Hajan cyo hajan' :Never say never:?"

"Yeah, but who believes that stupid superstition anyway?"

"I do," Barthello replied.

She blinked at him. He understood Al Bhed? "Oh… oh, who asked you?"

He muttered something under his breath and fell silent.

After exchanging a few more jibes with Gippal, Rikku excused herself and went to lie down. She was afraid it was going to be a long couple of days- first stop to Kilika to drop Barthello off, then to Djose to hopefully use an airship to finally get back to Bikanel Island.

And Rikku was right. The trip was long. At Kilika, Barthello nearly forced Rikku and Gippal to join himself and the ever-charming Dona for dinner. By the end of the dinner, Rikku nearly strangled Dona at least four times. She also had to endure celebrations, interviews, feasts, and speeches (which she was rather horrible at), not only in Kilika, but in Luca, Mi'ihen, and Mushroom Rock as well. While she enjoyed a good party like the next person, she was ready for peace and quiet by the time she reached Djose.

Despite the great tragedy that had occurred on those grounds, she was grateful for Djose's silence. With no more than a few grunts of instructions, she and Gippal spent the rest of the day preparing an airship for the flight to Bikanel Island. They were both irritable after all that celebrating.

Last minute, they chose to stay the night at the temple. But try as she might, Rikku wasn't able to sleep that night. Finally, after several restless hours, she clambered off the couch and left the small room she was sleeping in. She wandered the temple grounds for quite a while before she noticed a faint blue glow coming from Gippal's office. She approached the door and peered through the crack cautiously. The glow appeared to be coming from a sphere screen. Steeling herself against what might come, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Gippal?"

He was sitting at his desk staring vacantly at a blank, blue sphere screen, as if he was trying to look through it rather than at it. She'd never seen him look that way before. He made a noise of surprised when she said his name and his eyes focused on her, glowing eerily in the sphere screen's light.

"What are you doing up and about, Highness?" he asked with a faint grin. "I thought all royalty needed plenty of beauty sleep."
Her only retort was a snort. "I couldn't sleep." She stepped further into the office and glanced around. "What were you doing?" She smirked. "Watching dirty spheres?"

"What?" He glanced at the blank sphere screen. "Oh… no. I forgot that was even on." He turned the screen off and the room was plunged into near darkness.

"What were you doing?" she asked again.

"Nothing really. Just…" He sighed wearily and she could just make out him running his hands over his face. "Just thinking."

"About what happened?" She crossed the room and sat in a rickety chair across from Gippal's desk.

"About that. And what could've happened." He couldn't quite look at her, though Rikku thought she felt the heat of his gaze. He tugged at a tuft of his hair and muttered gruffly, "About what almost happened."

She squirmed uncomfortably, suddenly quite aware that she and Gippal were very much alone. "Al-almost happened?" she said squeakily.

"Well, yeah. That jerk nearly killed you- us. Nearly killed us," he said hastily.

"You've still been thinking about it?" she asked, ignoring the erratic fluttering in her chest. She cracked the faintest of smiles. "Doesn't all that thinking make your head hurt?"

"Oh ha ha," he grunted.

"You see, me, I'm trying not to think about it." She sighed. "It happened. What can we really do about it?"

There was a moment of silence between them. "Once again, you surprise me with your intellect." She heard a smile in his voice.

"Of course. I'm a lot smarter than I look, you know."

"I know."

Rikku blinked in surprise. Okay, his lack of teasing was freaking her out. And making her blush like crazy. So she told him this- the first part, naturally.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I've just been thinking a lot lately. Don't worry, I'll tease you double tomorrow. Does that suit you, Highness?"

"No, not really." She smiled a bit and then felt unnaturally daring. She clambered onto his desk. Perhaps it was just the moment that prompted what happened next.

"Just remember, all thought and no play makes Gippal a very… dull… boy." Their lips barely brushed and then… she snorted. She fell back, giggling hysterically. She had felt it; he really thought she'd do it! "Ooh, ooh look!" She snorted through her laughter. "You thought- you thought-!" She gasped for air. "You thought I was going to kiss you!"

"Rikku!" Gippal yelled, pelting her upside the head with a wad of paper.

She simply continued giggling.

"Dammit, you don't trick a guy like that!"

"Oh boo hoo! Like you didn't expect me to do that!"

"The sad thing is, I didn't!"

There was an uncomfortable silence between them. "You didn't?"

"Er… gah, forget it okay? Isn't it time you got back to your beauty sleep, Highness?"

She blinked at him in surprise. Well, if he was just going to be like that… "Oh fine you big baby." She slipped her hands around the back of his neck, yanked him close, and kissed him hard. "Better?" she asked breathlessly, finally breaking the kiss. Later she would wonder what possessed her to kiss him in the first place.

"Eh, it will do. For now."

She swatted him. "Banjand :pervert:."

He grabbed her arm and turned her towards the door. Hastily, he pushed her towards it. "Now go to bed."

"Sir yes sir!" she shouted, giving him a saucy salute. With a squeak, she darted out the door as wads of paper flew in her direction.

''''

Rikku stared out the window of the cramped airship down at the dusty island of Bikanel and felt a sense of relief wash over her. Finally, it was over. She would go back to digging and her life would return to normal. She smiled a bit. She had missed playing around in the hot sand, surprisingly. And it felt like an eternity since she'd left.

"Ooh, can't you make this hunk of junk move any faster!" she asked Gippal impatiently.

"Hey, this is the best I could do. You were the one nagging that you wanted to leave so soon. So sit down and shut up. It's going to take as long as it takes."

She stuck her tongue out at him and resumed staring out the window. About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the digger's campsite. Business was bustling as usual, to Rikku's relief. She didn't have to walk between lines of fervent admirers and screeching cheers.

Gippal followed close behind. "Well, this is certainly a nice change.

"Isn't it though?"

"Wonder where Nhadala is?" He grabbed the arm of a spotty-faced youth trotting by and asked.

"The hell if I know," the boy retorted, yanking out of Gippal's grip. He trotted off towards a departing hover.

Gippal snorted, put off. "That is coming out of that brat's pay. Kids these days."

Rikku laughed. "Watch it. You sound like an old man. You're not an old man, are you, Gip- Nhadala!" She spotted the blond woman in her usual spot, chin deep in machina parts and paperwork.

"Eh? Oh, Rikku. You're back."

"Yep." She bowed. "Ace digger, reporting for duty!" Behind her, Gippal was griping about the rude digger.

Nhadala winced. "I wish I had a job to give you."

Rikku stared at her, confused. "What are you talking about- Gippal, shut up for, like, one second!" she snapped as he had been trying to get a word in edgewise.

"Fine, let the baby have her bottle," he muttered.

She shook her head and glanced at Nhadala again. "What do you mean you wish you had a job to give me? What about the job I already have?"

"Hey, you can't blame me. You were gone a lot longer than you originally told me. You didn't bother telling me why you were gone. I had to replace you."

"What!" she sputtered. "I was saving the freaking world, thankyouverymuch!"

"Whether or not the world needs to be saved, work goes on! I needed someone. I'm sorry, Rikku, but we don't have any room for you out here."

"But- I- you can't- I-" She gave a frustrated snort.

A hand dropped on her shoulder and a smug voice said, "Hark? What's this I hear? The Princess is out of a job?"

Rikku groaned. "Gippal…"

He smirked. "Hmm, that secretary job is starting to sound pretty tempting, eh? Whatever are you going to do?"

"Not work for you, if that's what you're implying!"

"So you'd rather be poor, bumming off Cousin Yuna, who's getting married by the way."

Okay, so he made a very good point. She very well couldn't mooch off of Yuna, or anyone else for that matter. And she always liked working with machines… She heaved a great and tragic sigh. "Fine, I'll work for you."

"Eh? Who said I was still offering?"

"Gippal! Come on!" She stomped her foot childishly.

He smirked, plopping his arm around her shoulders. "We'll discuss this in my office," he said, guiding her towards the airship. "By the way, I hear you have a rather sexy dressphere they call Lady Luck. It might influence my decision if you wore it."

CRACK!

Nhadala glanced over her pile of machina and snickered as Gippal grabbed his cheek and he and Rikku started shouting at one another. "Oh, that had to hurt."

The End

…………………..

o0oDancingQueeno0o: Hahah, yes, Gippy is amazing

Ataramos: I'm glad this story inspired you to stay out of bed long enough to read it::chuckles: I hope this chapter is as enjoyable!

Black Eyed Mistress: Yes, Effram is bad! But you know, he wasn't always going to be the bad guy. I can't remember who I was going to have it be, but I know that he was going to possess Paine… But clearly, that changed::laughs: But yes, there is going to be a sequel. And be on the look out for a new dressphere.

Seelenspiel: Thank you for your wonderful compliments! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

xInsanoBananax: I hope this chapter explained the light! It's nothing too complicated, I don't think…

Canada Eh: Aww, you make me blush with your compliments. Thank you so much! I hope to see you around for the sequel!

Rikku SWiRLS::laughs: Three cheers for the evil guys, eh?

FairyIce, formerly known as Jen: Yes, Effram is evil to the core! Hm… one day perhaps I should write his story…

Jezzi: Hope you enjoyed this final chapter!

green-eyed-blonde::laughs: I'm glad I answered your question!

Bluetinkerbell: Oh gosh, you flatter me too much! Thank you very much! I hope you end up enjoying the sequel as much as you have this story!

Pikachu: Well, I hope you are happy Rikku was the one who defeated Effram! Sort of… Close enough, right::chuckles: