Author's note: This is my first fanfic, so constructive criticism would be appreciated.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I do NOT own FFCC: The Crystal Bearers.

Layle was riding a Chocobo across the Prison Sands of the Eastern Wildlands. He had been travelling through the barren wasteland for over a day now, and still half way until he reached the Lilty capital of Alfitaria. Due to the stifling heat, the crystal bearer had only worn his shirt, shorts, and a rag over his head to protect his neck from the sun. Layle was sure he was going to die there if he didn't reach the Bridge Town soon. Even his Chocobo was tiring out. It was nearly impossible trying to walk across the landscape on foot, because walking on nothing but sand tires you out even more. This large bird-like "horse" was the only means he had of transportation. The bearer surely would've died if he didn't have a Chocobo to make the journey home much shorter and energy saving. Mixed with the blistering heat, dehydration, loss of energy, shortage of water, and an exhausted Chocobo, the trip across the sandy desert was long and miserable.

'And also boring', Layle thought. 'There's nothing out here but miles and miles of sand.'

After a few hours of trekking across the dry wasteland, Layle decided to stop and set up camp. He had a rolled up tent, tent stakes and poles, and firewood all mounted behind him on the Chocobo. As he started setting up the tent, Layle thought about his friends back home: Keiss, a Selkie man who was formerly a Colonel in the Lilty army, Layle's good friend, and partner.

Belle. A thieving, greedy, yet very attractive Selkie woman, who Layle had to rescue on many occasions. Cid. An old Lilty engineer and inventor, who had been like an uncle to the crystal bearer when he was a child. Althea Sol Alfitaria, the Princess of the Lilty Kingdom and the daughter of the now deceased King.

Layle sighed as he thought about them, because even though he didn't show it, the bearer missed his friends dearly, especially Althea. Ever since he first met her, Layle started developing feelings for the young Princess, even though he acted like he didn't care about her. He wasn't the kind of person with an "emotional" personality.

Althea was the most beautiful Lilty female Layle had ever seen. Sure he was very attracted to Belle, the sexy Selkie woman, but for some reason, Althea made Layle's heart flutter. It had been a year and he couldn't stop thinking of the small beauty. Her sparkling greenish blond hair, her innocent little face, her curvaceous body, her luscious breasts, her short stature, and her, gorgeous, soft, sweet voice that like music to Layle. The bearer suddenly noticed that the sun was disappearing behind the horizon, sunlight reflecting off the clouds, giving the sky a pinkish-yellow color. 'Dammit, I'd better set up before it gets completely dark on me!'

After he finally finished setting up camp, Layle crawled into his tent for the night, his Chocobo there with him.

'Well, this sucks!' Layle thought. He hated having to share his tent with his steed, but it was the only way the bearer could protect it from the brutal sand storms since he didn't bring a tarp to cover the Chocobo. 'Good thing this tent's big.' He thought as he lay on the one side of the tent, while the large bird was brushing its feathers on the other side.

As the crystal bearer tried to get to sleep, his hands under his head, he thought how he got into this mess.

(Flashback)

Exactly a year ago, Layle and Keiss were trying to stop Jegran from taking over the Lilty Kingdom. Jegran was High Commander of the Royal Lilty Army and a crystal bearer, who had been trying to take over the Kingdom.

After Layle defeated Jegran, he had no choice but to flee, fearing that he would be arrested and prosecuted for being a crystal bearer. Despite his heroic deed, he knew he was still going to be viewed by other people as scum. Layle spent a few days in hiding, trying to avoid Lilty officials, constantly on the run, until he was arrested by guards in Bridge Town and was escorted to Alfitaria via carriage to await trial. Fortunately, despite being handcuffed, Layle managed to blow a hole in the back of the carriage he was in and jumped out. He ran. He ran as fast as he could, eventually reaching the Red Leaf Station. Layle was about to flee up the Holy Mountain Trail toward the Rivelgauge Monastery, when he noticed a train that was foreign at the station that was about to depart. Running quickly toward the platform, Layle realized the train was from a small kingdom called Mysteria. After buying his ticket from the Moogle, he boarded the train and took his seat. The bearer lay back, watching Clavat farms, forests, and mountains pass by. Then he noticed the city of Alfitaria that was in the distance.

Layle sighed. He hated leaving his friends behind, but like Jegran had said, "There is no place for you in the new world!" And he was right. No one would ever accept crystal bearers into their society.

After a few hours, the train was now outside the borders of the Lilty Kingdom. Thank God. Eventually, Layle fell asleep, dreaming of his past adventures with Keiss, and his new life yet to come…

(Flashback End)

The wind outside his tent started to pick up, interrupting Layle's train of thought. He crawled over toward the tent and zipped up the door flap in order to keep the sand from blowing in. He turned to his Chocobo. It was in a sitting position, fast asleep. 'It's getting late' Layle thought. 'I'd better get some sleep, too.' And with that, the crystal bearer lay back in his sleeping bag, his head on his old pillow. Outside, the wind was howling, the tent shaking as the air rushed against it.

"Althea…" Layle said out loud as he shut his eyes. After a few minutes, the crystal bearer finally drifted off to sleep, letting unconsciousness overtake him. Little did he know, hundreds of miles away, the Lilty princess was longing for him to return home.