edenbound: (FFX-2)
edenbound ([personal profile] edenbound) wrote2006-03-21 11:39 pm
Entry tags:

FFX-2: Impact

Fandom: Final Fantasy X-2
Pairing: None
Warnings: Deathfic
Rating: PG13
Summary: He's had all his adventures. For [livejournal.com profile] 30_fantasies.



He's not old. Not yet, anyway.

But life isn't quite the same as it used to be -- he's seen the world, seen what's left of all the temples, seen all the ruins and camped out in half of them. He's slept with men and women, Al Bhed, Yevonites, and he draws the line at Ronso and Guado anyway. He's tried everything, gotten caught up in too many projects and finished most of them and left the others lying in the desert dust. He's led the Machine Faction, chosen a new leader, and moved on. He had a faction in the desert for a time -- people always follow him -- but he left them behind, too.

He's had all his adventures, done all he can, dared all there is to dare. He's loved and he's hated and he's done all of that with a depth and a passion that left all competitors in the dust. He's fought in battles that people will remember 'til the end of time and he's satisfied with that.

But now he's done it all, he can't just sit around, doesn't know how to sit around and be patient.

Besides, who wants to be patient when all they're waiting for is death?

He longs for a new adventure. Nooj is the same, and they've spent restless hours together talking like they never did. Discussing what they could do. Making and discarding plans.

And then Nooj goes off, beyond the sunset, who knows where? Gippal doesn't, and he doesn't want to know -- it's not the adventure for him. The adventure for him is something amazing, something that opens people's eyes. It's something to make people look.

He figures out what it is quickly enough, when he starts thinking. And when he puts his brain to it, Gippal is a formidable thinker. The trouble is, so much of the time he's pure impulse and energy.

But he's sure people will look this time.

It's easy to arrange.

"I want to fly," he tells Rikku, and even though Brother has fought with him over girlfriends in the past, Rikku arranges it. The Celsius is quick and sleek and he feels the hum of energy under his feet, pleasant and for a moment his mind wanders off on the endless paths of how does it work and could I build one?

But he's built so many machina, and he knows within seconds of thought that it would be easy.

Brother lets him have the controls -- "just once", and "be careful" -- and he nods and smiles, because it will be just once, and that's not all he's here for.

The Celsius is quick and responsive and he wonders if he could have a life on an airship -- but only for a moment, because flying through the sky gets old so quickly when you can't feel the rush of the air against your face. He wants that. The wind. The sensation of danger all around.

What Gippal wants, he gets.

"I'm going up on deck," he says, and Rikku bounces up, all eager to go too. Does that girl ever grow up?

She doesn't, it seems, and she doesn't lose her lust for life, either.

But he goes alone, in the end, though it takes Buddy's quiet, "Rikku, I think he wants to be alone," to do it.

He walks out over the deck, feeling the rush of the air, the tremble-hum of the deck under his feet. He walks to the edge, unwavering, unafraid of heights, looking down at the world around, feeling the rush and push of the wind. He lets it tug at him, listens to the whistle of it all around like a siren-call.

He closes his eyes and steps forward. He barely needs any push off -- he's tumbling and falling the minute his foot leaves the deck, so close to the edge, and the wind whips him up and throws him down, and he lets himself fall, surrendering. He imagines Brother's shocked cry, Buddy's quiet exclamation -- and Rikku's shocked, wide eyes.

Goodbye, he tells them all silently, and he feels the wind move his hair, and he's endlessly falling, with no impact.

[identity profile] sel-barton.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
Wow! Never really thought of Gippal that way. Very well done!

[identity profile] edenbound.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 12:10 am (UTC)(link)
Meep, I was scared people would slaughter me for Gippal character ruining. xD

Normally my Gippals are all full of life and bounce and this lust for life that none of my other characters have, but this one showed up and I was dubious but I wrote it anyway. ^^;

Glad to know I didn't make a huge mess! ♥ (Though I fancy the Gippal!sploodge when he lands would be nasty. xD)

[identity profile] cupcakemonster.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
some people never land. they grow wings.

[identity profile] edenbound.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
Gippal would love that.

[identity profile] cupcakemonster.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
hell yes he would.

he's not sensible enough to die properly like everyone else, anyway.

he's the type that would want a big statue but no marked grave.

[identity profile] cupcakemonster.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
you can say NO to this request.

I sortakindawanna write Rikku's reaction.

Bad? Yes? No? Let me know.

[identity profile] edenbound.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, please! I'd love to see Rikku's reaction as written by you. You do Rikku so good. ♥

[identity profile] cupcakemonster.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay, I'm going to cry with happiness. AIE AIE AIE. Okay that's more like squealing. I can't wait. Aie.

Aie.

I love Rikku and Gippal, any way, romantic or not, together or seperate, they make an awesome duo of insanity.

And this is going to be CRAZY INSANE. Because you gave me an awesome setup, and now I'm going to fly with it madly.

....

because, fuck, Gippal flies and it's BEAUTIFUL and he's gorgeous and I want to try and touch that and match it. Hmmph.

[identity profile] edenbound.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)
You make me blush and omgcan'twaittoreadit. *sits on edge of seat*

[identity profile] cupcakemonster.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 11:20 pm (UTC)(link)
I, uh, well, I did it.

*cringe*

[identity profile] cupcakemonster.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
I also want to know where the hell you find your awesome icons. NOT FAIR. That's what I say.

[identity profile] edenbound.livejournal.com 2006-03-22 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
You can check my icon pages, I always credit. ♥

(Pst, I love [livejournal.com profile] icons4icecream for the pretties. :3)

[identity profile] mneme-forgets.livejournal.com 2006-03-23 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
This is such an interesting character study of Gippal. I had never considered how very apathy inducing the lives of such heroic figures might be. When you've done it all what *is* there left to do anyway?

I love the bits of humour even in such a serious story - about how Gippal draws the line at Guado and Ronso. Hee.

I like the way Gippal talks more and more with Nooj as he feels the depresion set in. It's very appropriate for obvious reasons. It's so sad and pathetic realy the way Gippal plans it all as something people will have to look at, as if he just wants attention. I love how he simply says, "I want to fly."

I like that he spares a thought for Rikku and her energy. It's so sad the way he really just ignores everyone around him though. It's terrible.

I love the way he falls without impact. It's just like cupcakemonster picked up on it in her response - it could mean both that he never *feels* the impact or maybe that something miraculous could happen. He certainly seems to feel in the end like something has.

[identity profile] edenbound.livejournal.com 2006-03-23 07:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you for the comment. x3 ♥ I was fairly hesitant about writing this, because I mostly see Gippal as full of life and never getting bored, you know? But the idea nagged so I tried it and I thought it worked and I'm glad to know it has. :D

I'm glad to know I succeeded, apparently, with getting across what I wanted to about the way Gippal feels and his reasoning. And also, I'm glad you said that about the end because that's exactly what I wanted people to think, and eeeeh I'm just really happy about this comment. ♥!

[identity profile] mneme-forgets.livejournal.com 2006-03-23 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
I know what you mean about being hesitant. People can be so quick to cry OOC.

I think that with the proper explanation and motivation characters can be driven to do very unexpected things.

[identity profile] lusciouspandora.livejournal.com 2007-01-05 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow, amazing characerization. Very well written. *nods*

[identity profile] edenbound.livejournal.com 2007-01-05 07:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay. :D