A/N: And so, this is the end. I know this will shock most of you when I say this, but this fic is probably the last chapter-type fic I'll be writing for a long, long, time. ::hides from gasps:: ;

The reason for this is because school will be taking up a huge chunk of my time from this moment on, so I won't have as much free time available to come up with a long and epic story. =p But don't worry. I'll be releasing short one-shots, and little point of view/reflection type of stories from other games/anime that I've seen, so I'm not disappearing forever!

I'd like to express my thanks to all the wonderful readers who have taken the time to read, review, and enjoy this story. Judging by how many reviews I've received for the fic so far, I'm pleasantly surprised that you all embraced the story like you did. =) You have no idea how much your support has meant to me, and for that I am so grateful.

"The emotions simply come together, spiraling to create an almost ethereal, unfathomable wholeness. A canvas in which one can neither like nor dislike. It simply is. And for that, I can't help but feel the sense of beauty."

{{ Final Chapter: All My Life }}

"Are you at least eating right?"

Her cousin's worried tone greeted her ears and Rikku couldn't help but smile. Old times never seemed to change, but she was glad.

"Yeah, Yunie. I am. I'm doing great here," she replied with a short laugh, deeply touched that her cousin had begun to show signs of acceptance towards Rikku's decision.

A moment of silence passed, neither saying anything. The communicator's screen began to blink in time with Yuna's voice once again.

"Rikku...are you...really okay?" she asked, her words shielding what it was that they both knew she really wanted to say. They both knew it, but were too afraid to speak the name.

"Of course I am..." Rikku answered, knowing that she wasn't completely being honest with herself. She could sense the hesitance on Yuna's end before her cousin spoke up once more, taking a short breath.

"Just remember that I'm here, okay? Both Paine and I. Don't be afraid to ask for anything." Rikku sat down on the bed, pausing as Yuna took another breath. "Take care, Rikku."

"Thanks, Yunie. You too," Rikku replied quietly after some time, a soft smile at her lips. The screen's gentle glow began to fade gradually before it returned to its original black color. She was lost in thought, her mind almost sinking into the darkness of the screen.

Clicking off the communicator, she stood from the bed, making her way over to the large window overlooking the ocean. The first traces of dusk were just barely visible, brilliant orange-yellow rays streaking the evening sky. A light breeze blew in through the open window, its warmth comforting. She let out a long sigh.

Luca was one of those cities that never seemed to lose its sense of wonder. Everywhere Rikku turned, her eyes never missed the fast-paced movement of life. It floated from all corners of Luca, and people were always so friendly, living only for the moment. The city was filled with laughter, activity, and there was something about its energy that Rikku so-longingly wanted to be a part of.

Her announcement to Yuna and Paine was sudden, but Rikku knew that her two companions had fought to keep their spirits high for her sake. They had respected her decision and understood why she had wanted to leave. On their last night together, the three of them had gone up to the hill in Kilika and lay underneath the stars, giggling and remembering old times. The sky had been beautiful that night, stars dotting the night with an eternal brilliance.

Yuna and Paine did not question her decision about leaving them. In their hearts, they knew that Rikku's heart could not simply allow her to remain in one place. They knew that she had always wanted to reach further...past all the seemingly routine pace of life. And the moment Rikku arrived in Luca again, she knew that she had finally found it.

It had been one month since the incident at the snowfield. One month since her narrow escape and close encounter with death. Moving away from the window, Rikku turned to look around her new home. It was cozy, and she fell in love with it the moment she set her eyes on the small dwelling.

Her eyes trailed over to the table beside her, the familiar handwriting upon the wrinkled paper catching her attention. Wandering over to it, her fingers unfolded the letter, reading through the words again.

Rikku,

How have you been? I hope that you're in the best of health and that you have finally found the peace you deserve. It has been one week since we last spoke, and by now I am sure you are wondering what happened after the airship took Serru and I away.

It's with a heavy heart that I say that my brother did not make it. As I write this, I find it difficult to stop my hand from trembling, and I still cannot believe that Serru is gone. The brother that I had always feared has left me alone in this world, yet somehow, it seems that I've always been alone. My only wish is that Serru can finally find peace in a world he believed took it away from him.

I've moved back to the Omega Islands, my home village. Our old faction has transferred to the islands to help me rebuild it, since many of them have their own memories here as well. I don't want to forget where I was born, and this is the least I can do for Serru. If only he were still alive to see it.

I'm so sorry, Rikku, and I know words alone can never make up for what you have experienced because of us. I hope that you can forgive what we have put you and Gippal through, and the first thing I could ever wish for was that none of this would have ever happened. I should have realized it all sooner, but somehow I feel that there was a reason why we met. You both have taught me the true joy of being alive, and I now know that I can move forward without any regrets. And for that, I thank you.

Perhaps we'll all see each other again someday...

Take care,

Sasuno

Rikku stared at the words for an extra moment longer, feeling a tear slide down one cheek. She had always believed that even through the most difficult of times lay a goodness that surpassed it all. Sasuno's letter had confirmed that, and she smiled, quickly wiping her eyes. Yes, perhaps we will be able to see each other again.

Her gaze caught the one name on the letter she had been so hesitant to speak aloud, and suddenly her heart grew heavy. Gippal.

Three days after she had received Sasuno's letter, Gippal came to her one night and informed her that he was leaving for a while. She had questioned him about it, yet his only answer was that he was going to finish one last task before returning to her in Luca. Without saying another word, he had left her room and she heard from Cid the following morning that Gippal had indeed left.

Now, one month later, Rikku had still not heard from him. She sat down on her bed, looking out towards the ocean once more. Gippal's absence had raised questions within her, and whether or not she was prepared to answer them was still up in the air.

How did he feel about her? Were they a couple? And most importantly, how did she really feel about him? She hated herself for even doubting what they had shared together, yet his abrupt absence was making her feel otherwise.

She was angry and confused that he was gone. She wanted to see him again, but at the same time she was afraid to face him. Afraid to tell him how she truly felt. Rikku's eyes fell to the floor. And Gippal had certainly made her feel something.

Before she had the opportunity to spend more time with him after Yuna and Paine had left her alone at Kilika, romance was far from something Rikku had ever expected she would encounter. Sure there were the crushes and the few male friends she had. But...love? She would have laughed aloud if someone had asked her about it back then. But that was back then.

She had found herself unable to sleep at night since Gippal had left. Her thoughts were always clouded with memories of him. He had made her feel good about herself in a way that no other person had done. He made her feel cherished, as if her presence alone was enough for him. His entrance into her life was unexpected, and Rikku desperately wanted to see him again.

And yet, she had not heard from him in almost a month. Hurt, frustrated, and confused, she let out a sigh again, letting herself fall back into the soft blankets.

Her eyes trailed to the clock hanging above her bed.

"Oh no! I'm late...!" she exclaimed, quickly scrambling to her feet. Pulling on her boots, Rikku headed in the direction of the door, her hands instinctively reaching up to her ears to see if they were on. Oh right. I never got my second earring back. Rikku thought inwardly to herself, as she put her one earring in her pocket.

Grabbing her keys, she stepped out into the warm evening air. The sun was still visible in the horizon, giving the city a soft, orange glow. She wore a light yellow skirt and a white sleeveless top, with matching white sandals at her feet. Instead of the usual spunky hairstyle with her carefully tied braids, Rikku opted instead to let all her hair down for the evening. She had brushed it out and was surprised at how long her hair fell at her back. Although she knew that her appearance was different from what people were used to, it made her feel new again.

A new look for a new life...

Shrugging away her thoughts, Rikku walked quickly down the stairs leading into the main city square. Looking around, she saw an old couple sitting quietly on the bench, a white puppy at their feet. She smiled at the couple as they nodded once at her. They were the only people sitting outside for the evening, and for once the square looked empty. She headed silently past them, her sandals clicking in the quiet air.

It was her first week in her new home, and Rikku had decided to spend the evening at the first game of the season.

The dome was now in view as Rikku quickened her pace, finally hearing the loud cheers and splashing water. Lights danced ahead from the Luca stadium, and she approached the guard at the gates. Handing him her ticket, she heard him mumble a quiet "thank you" before allowing her to pass.

She headed up the stairs to her right, thankful for the quiet atmosphere of her balcony seat. No one else seemed to be sitting in the area, but for once she was glad. Looking below, the players had just begun to swim out into the water dome as the crowd cheered them on. Rikku frowned. She had never been much of a Luca Goers fan, and was secretly cheering for the Al Bhed Psyches. The hatch on the opposite side of the dome opened and the Psyches swam out, as if right on cue. She stood from her seat, standing against the balcony to have a better view of the game.

The still silence of the balcony area belied the enthusiastic cheers from the audience down below, and Rikku found herself feeling achingly alone. She was glad for the silence, yet somehow it didn't seem to calm her mind as much as she thought it would have.

A flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye caused her to move her vision slightly to the side. She did not turn around, deciding that other people had bought the seats in her area as well and must have been late like she was. A few seconds of silence passed before she heard a man clear his throat. She raised a hand to push a lock of hair behind her ear, her eyes on the first blitzoff.

"I...hope I'm not late."

She had barely heard the voice before sensing the person behind her this time. Turning around, Rikku felt her heart come to a winding stop.

"Hey."

She stood stunned, unable to open her mouth to speak. She knew her eyes were wide with shock, and she met his gaze, feeling her mind growing hazy. He stood a few feet away before taking a step towards her, looking down at his boots.

"Let's talk down in the square," he said quietly.

Rikku found herself looking away from him before finally nodding in agreement. He smiled before turning to lead them out of the balcony.

Her sandals echoed down the stairway as they exited the stadium, stepping out into the evening air once again. She found herself looking up towards the sky, the orange and yellow hues bright and glowing. Her eyes fell to her feet as they finally stopped near the dock. The water sparkled below them.

Rikku continued to avoid his gaze, her mind filled with a hundred questions to ask him.

He studied her for a moment. She stood with her eyes to the ground, her long hair flowing in the breeze. Her new appearance was making it difficult for him to keep his feelings from spilling right at that moment. She's beautiful...

Rikku looked down into the clear water, the water's movement reflecting in her green eyes.

"You haven't said a word..." he said quietly, knowing how she must have felt at that moment. He cursed himself for waiting until the end, moving closer to her. "Rikku...I came back because I—"

"You never called..." she finally spoke, her voice quiet. He looked up to meet her clear eyes before tearing his gaze away. "All this time I thought you left for good..." Her voice curled with emotion and he hated himself for making her wait so long. He moved so that he was right in front of her, and he reached down to hold her hand in one of his.

"Rikku...I'm here now," he whispered. She looked up at him, allowing her hand to remain in his.

"Why did you leave...?"

He turned away, smiling gently. "I resigned my position as Leader of the Machine Faction. It took so long to find a replacement, but I'm no longer with them anymore..."

His decision to leave the Machine Faction had been coming for a long time. After the incident with Serru, he believed that his services as Leader were something he could no longer place before anything else. He had been seeking liberation for a long time, and now that the weight was lifted from his shoulders, he felt free. Now he wanted to seek what it was he knew would complete him.

Rikku...

She searched his face, feeling her shock finally sinking in. He stared down at her, knowing that his announcement had caught her off guard. Without a word, she gently pulled her hand away from his, turning around so that her back was to him.

"So why did you come back here...Gippal...?" Rikku asked after some time, her hands folded in front of her. She could hardly believe that he had given up his title; one that she knew had played a large role in his life. After waiting so long for him, here he was. He was standing before her once again, yet her question belied what she already knew he would answer deep in her heart.

He smiled, shutting his eye.

She turned around to face him and she gasped quietly as he pulled her to him in an embrace. Rikku felt her eyes drifting closed as he held her, the feeling of his arms around her again causing tears to sting the back of her eyes. Slowly, she felt her arms come up around him as well.

Gippal smiled, stroking her hair gently. He felt her sob suddenly against him as her arms hugged him tighter.

"I came back...because of you, Rikku," he whispered, feeling his own voice spilling with emotion. He pulled away to look into her face, smiling softly at her. He held out hope that she would forgive him. Even he couldn't forgive himself for how he must have made her feel for leaving her.

She sobbed again, but began to feel her tears subsiding as she began to lose herself under his warm gaze. Gippal grasped her hand in his once more, gathering his thoughts and preparing himself for what he had wanted to say for so long.

"Rikku, I've...fallen for you," he began slowly, feeling his face growing warm as she looked up at him. He continued on, not taking his gaze away from her. "It's taken me so long to finally say it the way I want to, but..." he sighed, finding his words again. "...I'm so in love with you."

The words she had waited for came tumbling from his mouth and her heart soared. She felt her vision growing blurry before a tear finally rolled down her cheek. "Gippal..."

He raised a trembling hand up to wipe her tears away. "You've saved me from my past..." Gippal whispered, leaning in to pull her in his arms again. He had his eye closed, simply enjoying this moment they had together. "...I want you to be my future."

She could no longer control her tears at that point and she whispered against his chest, her heart finally feeling whole. "I feel the same way," she choked out, voice cracking with joy. "Gippal...I've been waiting all my life, and now you're here..."

Looking up at him through her tears, she saw a tear slide down from his eye as well.

"So are you," he smiled, the moonlight shining down on them both. "...So are you, Rikku..."

The sky suddenly exploded and they both looked up, seeing the first bright flashes of light. The colors spiraled into each other, first yellow, then green, then a brilliant rain of white shooting stars as the fireworks flew through the sky. Behind them, shouts of joy erupted from the Luca Stadium as the final buzzer rang in the air.

Gippal looked down at Rikku with a smile, seeing the fireworks' shining colors splashing across her face. She turned her gaze towards him and returned his smile. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

He smiled as well, leaning down towards her. She felt her eyes fluttering closed as his soft lips brushed gently against hers. The colors continued to sail across the sky, the lights exploding one after the other.

When he pulled away, he was smiling at her, the lights bursting all around them. "Yes, it is," he whispered.

And with that, they were complete for the first time. The emptiness they had battled within themselves had brought them to each other in this single moment. Their souls spiraled together; creating wholeness that glistened with the love they had been searching for.

At last, they had found it.