A/N: Inspired in large part by "Remnants", by CliffieMaster. Love or Hate X-2, Nomura's character designs were really intuitive - certain dresspheres had real connections between characters. This drabble's sphere - Samurai.


The fiend is huge – at least three stories tall. It looks like a turtle with a neck that's too long and skin that covered in scale armor. Paine Scans it and yells something about it being immune to Armor Break. Gippal can't help but frown, because Dr. P might be the only one with a suitable attack to take it on.

Or maybe not. To his right Cid's Girl begins to glow, pink petals blowing past him as she swings a sword that wasn't in her hand a moment ago. Gippal would stop to gape if he wasn't dodging a spiked claw.

Rikku lunges forward, one hand on her long samurai sword, and swings clean through the beast's neck. The head falls to the ground; the neck bleeds pyreflies. The normal whoop of joy Rikku calls after a battle is silent. Instead she nudges her nose into the coat, runs her fingertips along the lining, and breathes deep.

It isn't until several hours and many fiends later that he realizes the cause of his shock. He is familiar with dresspheres – they manipulate energy to create the clothes and weapons that enhance the Gullwings' abilities. But he's also vaguely familiar with the coat and sword Rikku have been wielding since that fight. They belonged to another Guardian, one that hasn't been seen in over two years.

Paine is talking to Yuna and Tidus in front of the temple, and when Gippal catches Yuna's eye she points to the bridge with a knowing smile. He nods in her direction and walks out on to the second section of bridge, where an Al Bhed in a red coat stands alone. He doesn't approach until she looks at her garment grid, switching back into her customary yellow bikini.

"You met him, didn't you?" She's looking over the water, her fingers tracing the edges of her grid.

"Once…he was a jackass." Rikku's laugh is quiet, but it makes him feel better and he isn't so sure why. Still, he wants to know. "He disappeared after Sin was gone, though. Where did he go?" She turns her back to the river and looks up.

"Away. He's gone now." She looks almost guilty at that, tilting her head down to stare at the sphere. "And you know, memories are nice…" Gippal stepped in front of her and covered her hands in his.

"So we should hold on to them."