"Mommy! Daddy! Brother! Where are you?!" I run around Kilika for my family. Sin had just struck our town and my shoulder length black hair is flowing freely as I run around. "Mommy! Daddy! Brother! Where are you?!" I run to my house but instead, I find rubble. Oh no! It can't be true. It just can't. I dig through the rubble so that if my family did survive, I'd be able to see them. I just didn't want to know that they are dead. I couldn't bring myself to believe that they were dead.
Then, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turn around frantically hoping it was someone I knew.
I turn around and see my father, Sir Auron, standing over me. His eyes were filled with sadness and relief. I hug his knee and start asking him questions.
"Daddy, where's mommy? And where's Brother? Daddy, please tell me, daddy?"
he bent and he hugged me. Confused, I just stood still. My dad wasn't really the one who shows his feelings like that. I wanted to know what was wrong. My crimson eyes look up into his onyx black ones.
"Paine, I'm sorry. You won't be able to see them, ever again. I'm…sorry." He hugged me tighter, "I'm sorry."
Tears flow down from my big crimson eyes. Never again will I be able to see my brother's warm smile or hear his laugh as he messed up my silky black hair. Never again will my mom hold me in her arms or tuck me into bed at night. Never will I again see the four of us at the beach, laughing and playing in the water or building sand castles in the sand. Never will we be in the living room with the blanket around us and the fire burning in the fireplace. Never will we be able to open presents on Christmas morning. Never…never.
"Paine…Paine…PAINE!!"
"Huh?"
My hair is spread out on my pillow. It was all just a dream. The memory of my past haunts me.
My cursed silver hair is in front of my crimson eyes. All the time, Rikku is shaking me, trying to get me to wake up. Her eyes were filled with worry and concern as Yuna was also shaking me and again, her eyes were filled with worry.
"Rikku, I'm away already. And you can stop shaking me. I'm fine."
"We were so worried. We heard moaning and when we came over, we saw your face look pained. You looked so scared."
"Yea Dr. P. Will you ever tell us how you got your curse?! It always freaks me out when I see a girl sleeping in bed with black hair but wake up with silver hair." "Please will you tell us?" Yuna nagged. Her and Rikku always did try to get me to open up. But the more people try to pry into my life, the more I shut them out.
"I'll tell you guys one day. I promised. I'll be down in the Bridge soon." I told them. I stare into my mother's necklace and think back about the past. My mother, my father, my older brother, and my old "friends".
How I got my cursed hair, well, it was a long story.
FLASHBACK
"Get away from me!" I yell as loud as I can. A girl came over with an evil look. She had gotten angry with me for how I looked. Truthfully, I'd say I was average, shoulder length black hair, average 12-year-old height and I was pretty skinny but ate enough to make the chocobos extinct. The only thing different about me was my crimson eye. She was pretty much above average I thought too. Skinny, tall, and had pretty hair. She always said she'd make sure no one would make her look ugly. I always thought she was kidding when she said, "I hate you Paine. You're making Tom stare more at you than me. I might as well put a curse on you to keep some of that beauty hidden." I didn't think she would actually do it. We had been friends ever since I transferred to her school. Even though 2 years younger than her, I was in her grade because my dad always pushed me hard to study so I may be successful and rich. Even after my father's disappearance 6 years ago, I still studied hard to please him, wherever he may be.
I'll find him and make him proud with my sword fighting and studies. I practice all types of martial arts from karate to tae kwon do and in all types of sword fighting. I practice so that I may find him and please him. I will find him. I will…
She had me bound and she was ready to put a curse on me. Her hands were glowing and she began to focus on the curse. Only fear was going through my mind. I couldn't get out. The walls were at least 30 feet thick with concrete and at least 40 feet high. Truthfully, why would there be such a place? It was because her family owned a place and being rich, she was spoiled. Who knew how long she had planned this. There were platinum chains around my wrists and ankles. Even using the black mage my mom taught me, I couldn't break free.
"Paine, you hear me?! I'm going to get Tom to notice me more than you. with you out of the picture, he'll think you're ugly and he'll be disgusted by you and he'll go for me." I didn't think she meant it at that time. "Right now, who's uglier? You or me?" Personally, I had never saw an uglier girl in my life than her at this moment. She looked evil enough to be a sin spawn. Usually I'd be pretty straightforward and say, "Yea. You look ugly like a shoopuff" but considering the situation, I think I might as well sign my own death warrant if I say that.
affects me when I'm awake. I was just glad that I at least had my hair. Even though I can't see it. My hair was the only thing I had left of my father. My eyelids become heavy as my head is on the soft pillow. I close my eyes and sleep engulfs me like a wave on the ocean. Calm and soothing. She put her cursed hand to my stomach and pushed the magic through. It hurt. I yelled in pain but knew no one would come after me. no one could hear me. I was alone all again. No one would save me. No one. I yelled in pain as I start to feel numb. The world around me started to spin. As I cough, I felt a metallic taste in my mouth. Blood. I pass out and no one is there. As I thought, I'm alone. All alone…
I wake up and find that I'm in the hospital. There are star everywhere but maybe that's the effect of passing out. How I was found, I don't know. All I know is that when I woke up, my hair was short and silver. How… did that curse really work? What happened?! I scream in disbelief and the nurses rush in to see what had happened.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?!"
"WHAT'S WRONG?! LOOK AT MY HAIR DAMN IT! LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED TO MY HAIR! MY LONG BLACK HAIR IS REPLACED WITH SHORT AND SILVER AND ALL YOU SAY IS 'what's wrong?'. ISN'T IT OBIVIOUS WHAT'S WRONG?!"
I couldn't help it. Tears were flowing down my face. I seriously wanted to punch something. Anger flooded me like a flood. I scream. I scream again until, I felt all my pain washing away. I look up and see that the doctors had drugged me to sleep so that I may calm down and rest. As I was falling back asleep, I noticed my hair turning black and long again. I guess it only
FLASHBACK END
I was doing anything to get rid of my curse. The only clue she left me was that I needed true love's kiss. Will my true love ever come? I haven't seen my father in 12 years but I did hear that he traveled with Yuna to be her guardian. She probably would have never guessed that I was his daughter. Because of the curse, no one would ever guess that I'm his daughter. Everyone I was with, I lost. I never allow myself to get close to anyone. I fear that everyone I get close with will die or go away. I couldn't have any more deaths around me. I get up and I shake my head. I put on my warrior dress sphere and I go down to the Bridge where Yuna and Rikku were waiting after I told them I'd be right there.
As I walk over there, I realized that I envy Rikku and Yuna. Even though she doesn't have her mom alive with her, she still has her father and her brother and her cousin, Yuna. And Yuna has her uncle and cousins. She even has Tidus, the man she loved. I was the only one without a family. All I wanted was to see my family again or to be in their arms. I would never admit it but it's true. Every year until I was 12, for my birthday, I wished I saw my family. After what seemed like the 100th wish, I gave up. Even though I miss them, I had to move on.
Brother, Buddy, and Shinra were talking about a new mission. I was only half listening. My mind was wandering to the past. I felt tears rising to my eyes but I wasn't going to let them fall. Tears showed weakness and I will not show my weakness to anyone. Especially not in front of Yuna and Rikku. I blink the tears back and get prepared for Mushroom Rock. I grab my sword and get off the Celsius. As I look around, I remember the pain as when Nooj, I mean, Shuyin shot us.
The pain that he inflicted on the 4 of us. Even after knowing his past, it was still hard to forgive that unsent. I remember we said that no matter what happened, we'll still be friends but Shuyin shattered that bond into many pieces. We are still rebuilding the shattered bond but I have a feeling that it won't ever be the same. I was really close to them. Especially Baralai. I won't admit this either but I think I may have fallen in love with him a long time ago. I'm so confused about my own feelings. What does it mean to be loved? What is love? There are some things I think I'll never figure out.
