a/n: THIS STORY IS GETTING A REWRITE AT MY A03 ACCOUNT, adenar.

It was written when I was about fourteen! The story itself is old but maintains a special place in my heart. Hope to see you over there.

The Warriors: Ruby

"3…2…1…fight!"

I looked around to see where my first attacker would come from, listening, my whole body tense and alert. She came from behind me. I swung my sword as I heard hers whistle down through the air towards my back and knocked it away with one powerful blow. I met my challenger's sparkling green eyes with my own fiercely blood-red ones. I recognised her as Emerald, the emerald-eyed Al Bhed who was the latest addition to the Warriors. I took it easy on her, not wanting to hurt her feelings by thrashing her, which I knew I could. She put up a good fight, but I soon defeated her, knocking her sword out of her hand and keeping her pinned down for five seconds before she got called out.

She reminded me a lot of Rikku, but I kept my guilt in line.

The next warrior, Gold, came from my left, followed quickly by Silver who came from my right. The two athletic and speedy twins did matrix-style flips over me, then struck me from different sides. I dodged and struck out at Silver, who only just managed to parry, but her sword slipped out of her hands. Gold distracted me while Silver went to reclaim her weapon.

If only the Gullwings could see me fight now.

I quickly claimed the upper hand over Gold, then knocked her out of the way and parried Silver's blow. I kicked her away, Then flipped away backwards twice, and on my third one I collected Emerald's sword while on my hands, before landing back on my feet. Now I could face both of them.

Gold and Silver both came at me at the same time. I blocked both of the blows then began duelling both of them at the same time. My swift and powerful blows took them by surprise. As I was only applying for a place in the warriors and they only had my word to go on of my experience, the two older girls hadn't expected me to be so tough. They were forced to defend themselves and bide their time.

Slowly I whittled away their stamina, then brought out powerful blows that sent Silver flying and knocked Gold to the ground. They both were down for five seconds before being called out.

This was way better than fighting fiends and doing silly little ticket-selling missions.

Second to last came Onyx, the black-haired warrior I hadn't spoken to. Apparently she was the only one in the group who could put up a decent fight against their leader, and I could see immediately from the force of her charge and the way she held her sword she was a strong, seasoned fighter. She was fast too, but I succeeded in ducking to the side as she brought the sword down. She was determined, I could tell, and fresh, but although I was tiring I had more determination still. I pulled away and ran to the opposite side of the glade. We circled each other for a couple of seconds, then Onyx charged again and I dodged. I felt like one of those bullfighters from your world. I soon found that this was her weakness: she succumbed too easily to traps.

Perhaps if she knew she was really fighting Paine, she would be a bit more afraid. Perhaps if I still had my warrior dressphere, I'd have an edge.

She charged several times while I ducked. I could see the watching Warriors shaking their heads and muttering at the way she had fallen for my trap. As soon as she showed signs of tiring I picked up the pace. Onyx sensed it too, and tried even harder. She charged again, and I ducked. She charged again, and suddenly I fought back with my sword, letting Emerald's fall to the ground. I held the upper hand as surprise held Onyx back for a fraction of a second, then she fought back and neither of us had it.

A couple of passers-by had stopped to watch the rare spectacle. That or they were attracted by my likeness to the 'Lady' Paine. If only they knew.

Onyx was slightly nearer my level of tiredness now, and we were equally matched. I put still more effort into my attacks, although it caused me to weaken quicker. Suddenly, I had the upper hand again and I was raining blows down upon Onyx that took even her by surprise. My arms were aching and sweat was dripping off my brow, so I finished the fight quickly by flipping over her, wiping my forehead and swinging my sword all in one motion, making Onyx drop the sword. I landed and forced her to the ground. After five seconds she was called off.

I stood there panting while she grabbed her sword and scuttled away. For about ten seconds I had a breather, before the leader of the Warriors stepped towards me.

Diamond was tall for her age, as was I, and we were both the same age, meaning we were exactly the same height. She had first held a sword when she was two, and before she could even walk she had a mini sword of her own and had little sword-fights with her father while her mum held her on her lap. When she could walk her father started teaching her simple moves, and as soon as she could talk understandably her dad taught her every day. By the age of five she had mastered all the simple moves, knew quite a few harder ones, could hold a decent duel with her father and could flip, run faster than any of the other children she knew and had killed numerous fiends, accompanied by her father.

When I was five my parents were dead. I was at an orphanage, training myself in the ways of the warrior to escape the dreariness of my days.

When she was eight she had mastered all the most complicated moves and had saved the village from fiends and sinspawn countless times. When her town was attacked by sin when she was nine, she saved most of her neighbours by hiding them in cellar and defending them from the sinspawn with her mother and father. She could use all spells of black magic at each level, having being taught by her mother. Everyone in the village knew her name, but somehow, nobody outside the village heard of her.

When I was eight, I had run away from the orphanage. I was just another homeless orphan on the streets of Luca.

After that, Diamond continued training until she was fifteen. Then she left home and trained by herself and on the day she turned sixteen she formed the warriors after meeting Onyx. Gold was added a year later, and the next week Silver was chosen to come along for the journey. And Emerald signed up just before I, Yuna and Rikku defeated Vegnagun.

When I was fifteen I was nearly ready to sign up for the Crimson Squad. On the day I was sixteen, I joined up and was made a recorder for Nooj, Baralai and Gippal.

But that was Paine. I have to push her and her memories to the back of my mind, lest my knowledge gives me away as the woman who previously went by that name.

I've changed so much in this past year. My hair is now a long, silver river that goes down past my hips, almost like Lenne's was. I've changed my outfit, too. I've abandoned those bloody garment grids. My outfit now is like loosely fitting black robes, but not heavy like the ones the maesters and priests wear. It's actually very light. As for the style, it's sort of Ninja-Samurai, and all that can usually be seen of my face is my eyes.

Hence, my new name: Ruby.

I'd like to be called Crimson, but that would be far too obvious and besides, that would give me away as Paine. Besides, when you join the Warriors you change your name to that of a gemstone, just to show that it's still a very feminine group. Saves me the bother of changing it again.

I have given up trying to face and forget my past. I've always wondered if I should just run away and leave it that way.

This time I have.