((A/N: As a note, I don't own anyone from FFX-2, such as Baralai or anyone else from the game who happens to pop up during this story. ... There's another note at the bottom on the subject of my absence if you were wondering what the hell happened to me.))

Unworthy

Chapter One

Behind Bars

Yesterday, Naoska Rensan and her comrades entered the residential district of Bevelle and earned a great sum of money entertaining citizens on a street corner as they played instruments and made loud, highly energetic music. The event was so enjoyable, in fact, that the praetor himself stopped by to listen, and he too even gave them a few gil.

Today, Naoska was shoved into a jail cell, a great smile across her lips; shackles on her wrists behind her back. Turning around, she smiled to the praetor's advisor. "It was funny, why aren't you laughing?" she said, grinning.

He glared at her and as he opened his mouth, the praetor came down the stairs. "Aitigus," said the dark-skinned praetor, "Is this the one responsible?"

"Yes sir," Aitigus replied, running a hand over his auburn hair.

Tilting her head slightly and putting on the best innocent expression, she smiled to the praetor and said, "Can you get these shackles off? It's not like I can go anywhere."

Aitigus glared at her once again and the praetor motioned her over. Walking over, she turned and put her wrists as close to him as was comfortable. When the thick metal was removed from her wrists, she kept her back to the praetor as she went to the bed and plopped down on the straw mattress, tucking her hands behind her head.

"May I ask the reason for your actions?" Baralai asked, watching her.

"You may," she said, staring at the ceiling, grinning.

When she said nothing more, the praetor frowned slightly and said, "Why?"

"I hate you," she replied simply, closing her eyes.

Blinking a few times, he shook his head slightly and said, "Elaborate, if you would, please."

Aitigus became angry then. "Praetor, sir, you need not show this girl any respect or social grace," he said.

Baralai ignored him. Naoska ignored him, yet replied to the praetor. "New Yevon and Youth League soldiers are fighting in my village, trying to make us choose sides. My people are being killed, and thus, I hate you. You lead New Yevon, but I'm convinced there's nothing new about it, just the word "new" that you put before the word "Yevon"," she grumbled.

"Then it was revenge you sought," Baralai said softly, still watching her.

"I had higher goals than what I did," she said.

A slight grin crept over Aitigus's lips. Turning to the light-haired praetor, he said, "It seems commoners do not hold you in the right light, sir. Yet I've come up with a solution to that."

Glancing to his advisor, the praetor replied, "And what would that be?"

"Marry a commoner. It would surely bring those who believe that New Yevon is only for a greater sort of people to our side. They will see that you notice their social group, and they will see you in a new light, sir," Aitigus said.

Reluctantly, though it seemed as if there was not a single second of hesitation, he replied, "Very well then. I trust your judgment, Aitigus," and with that he departed.

Naoska laughed, "I feel sorry for that poor girl!"

"Then feel sorry for yourself," Aitigus replied, his voice cold and stern.

Sitting up quickly, turning onto her stomach she looked to him and said, "What?"

"Who else is more common than you? A thief, a con-artist, a vandalist, who better? You are dirty, smelly, and you've no moral judgment. If your marriage to the praetor won't draw the common people to the side of New Yevon, then I do not know what will." When the commoner opened her mouth to refuse, he grinned and said, "You will, or I will send the armies of New Yevon to wipe your little village off the face of Spira.

A horrified expression passed over her face. If the threat had been singled at her, she would've taken it, but it was directed at her friends and family, and she couldn't refuse. "Fine," said after laying flat on the bed. "But I'll hate you more for it."

((A/N: Sorry for being gone so long. This is my first fanfic in a very long while, and I just finished writing it less than half an hour ago. This story has been running around my head for about a week, and I decided I should make my return to The older stories that I have here under my name, for those of you that read them, I might pick them up again, but I'm still uncertain about it.

As for where I've been, I've been here, at home, procrastinating and enjoying my years in high school. I've been writing a book, and I'm searching for a publisher, so when I'm not busy with school, sports, or other clubs and such, I'm either looking for a publisher, or working on the sequel to my book. This story I will most likely continue, since it's been wracking my brain for days. Well, that's about all that's to this right now, so I'll put another chapter up when I get a chance, and until then, have fun, leave comments, and ... Love and Peace...?

Acri ))