Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X-2 or X, and do not have any affiliation with Square Enix. So don't kill me, 'kay?

A/N: Umm... *waves.* Hi! This is my first fic posted publicly... anywhere... ever. So don't hound me with baseball bats and torches if it isn't as good as others out there. This is a Gippal x Baralai, so if homosexuality offends you, I suggest you not read this. Of course, the male/male events won't happen within the first few chapters, but I don't want to be held accountable for not warning you that they will be present! ALSO BE AWARE I WARPED [OR WILL WARP] QUITE A FEW EVENTS IN ORDER TO FIT WITH THE PLOTLINE I HAD INTENDED FOR THE STORY!

POSSIBLE SPOILERS FROM FINAL FANTASY X AND X-2 EVENTS !!!

~* Memories Emphasized *~
~* Prologue *~

! CURRENT TIMES !

Sitting, at the edge of the Oasis waters, Gippal stared upward in the colorful pastel sky, watching the fiery colored sun set to rest. Gippal smiled slightly, looking over to the man at his side. "Memories are nice... but that's all they are. But when memories are bad, they become more than just bad memories. I just realized that, y'know," Gippal whispered softly.

! BEFORE THE ETERNAL CALM !

Swishing his feet through the crystalline waters of the Bikanel Oasis, a quite down young Gippal sat at the water's edge. The sixteen year old male had nothing as of then. His home, the Al Bhed's Home, everyone he knew's home had came to it's unmaking. The Guado had undone every single good thing that the Al Bhed had going for them. Just when their whole community had believed they could have a future by concealing themselves within the deserted sand dunes of Bikanel Island, the Guado destroyed that foresaw future. When a home is destroyed, all hope goes with it, and everything must start over.

He sighed. He knew his safety was very much not guaranteed, for he could not flee with the other Al Bhed. Instead, he decided not to be as stubborn as the other Al Bhed youth were. He helped them flee. The elderly, young, and the leaders all made it out safe, and a few young civillians were helped onboard Cid's newly restored ancient Airship. He would have been amongst those if he wasn't concerning himself with everybody else. He knew it would be for the better to save everyone else's lives instead of his own. He felt self fulfilled from doing that deed. He didn't regret it.

He didn't regret it at all, but he had brought a toll upon his young body. In search of relaxation, he slipped off his pants, relieving himself of their heavy weight. He rested them aside at the water's edge. Shortly thereafter, his heavy overcoat and undershirt were messily overtop his pants, and he slipped into the Oasis waters. Knowing of nothing else he could possibly do with himself for being so far away from civillization... all he could do was swim. Swim and think about how he could possibly force the Guado to repent for their sins. He figured that he had to be the one left to get revenge on the Guado. He didn't know how, but he knew he'd have to do something.

The cool waters of the Oasis soothed Gippal. He laid on his back, letting the water be his support. Despite all of the dangers he knew would come from not being alert, he relaxed. His mind wasn't relaxed, but his body was, and that did nothing to help him feel better. "What ifs..." and "How am Is" were circulating through his mind, prying away at every little nerve he had.

From his position, he could see all the smoke and debris polluting the air from the point far away where home was. Ash clouds form over the uneasy sunset, accompanying the white fluffy clouds that were usually pleasant, replacing the usually beautiful desert sunset with a haunting one. In his mind, countering all of his questions with more questions that ended up leading to more questions, the twisted vision of the sunset only became symbolic to his feelings. Smoke entertwining with clouds, ash taking over the pleasant reds and pinks... it all reminded him of what just happened, and how the unsettling feeling would take over him, just as the smoke and ash was taking over the desert sky.

But those thoughts cleared when he realized how angry he was, after the confusion that enshrouded his mind had soon faded. He wasn't going to let himself float there, watching his home fade away into the sky.

All he knew was that he was going to get his revenge against the Guado. At the New Yevon Maester who could only be suspected for all of the occurances- Maester Seymour. . He didn't know how he could single handedly overthrow a large percentage of the Yevon authority, but he knew he wasn't going to give in to the feeling of failing his long passed people and the people who were able to flee. He was going to do something.

Revenge would sweet... or so he thought right then...

~* END PROLOGUE *~

Um, I hope you liked it. The situation may seem a little unclear, but when the story begins, and when the problem unfolds, everything will make sense. Oh, and excuse how short the prologue is. I just didn't want to go into too much in the prologue, I only just wanted to give away a vague background.