Author's Notes: This was originally one long story but since as I wrote it, it fell into four to five (it's not complete) short chapters I decided it would be better to publish it in sections.

Just a quick note, I have yet to play FFX so do not be surprised if this is inaccurate. Simply note me on it and I'll try and change it/keep it in mind for next time. Be forgiving ok lol.

Chapter 1

A Less than Warm Welcome

The stocky Captain thumped heatedly down the stairs, a bit tense from his fresh converse with the head Captain of the Yevonite army. Pushing a few younger, less experienced soldiers out the way he boarded the elevator and travelled down to the outside balcony of the temple. On the balcony inside, he'd find his other cronies. He sighed, being the right hand Captain really wasn't as glitzy as he'd hoped, the other Captains were just like the soldiers accept they had their heads stuck up their asses, which unbelievably made them ten times worse then your average rookie. It was a nightmare sometimes, all these cocky men pumped up with a pointless overdose of self-esteem, as if they needed anymore really.

Heaving the upstairs door open he marched onto the platform and presented himself formally in front of his own little handful of minions.

"I've got a job for one of you." He announced, a quiet flitter of voices arose as he spoke. "We have some new recruits."

The voices halted and transformed into a universal groan.

"So," the pudgy man clapped his hands and wringed them, "who wants to welcome the little ankle biters?"

In one fluid motion the entire crowd of thirty odd took a wide step back, all shaking their heads and waving hands as if to attack the fat man if he persisted anymore, not to mention to odd 'no' that trumpeted up randomly. However as the group began to quiet there was an alien sound from the vicinity of the elevator.

"Sorry I'm late, sir," the considerably younger Captain wheezed, "I-I was tending to some buis-…why's everyone pointing at me?"

Indeed every index finger in the room was pointing directly at the straggler and staring at the burly right hand Captain as if their decision was unquestionable.

"Alight, Ralin, you have the honour of giving our new young soldiers their first pep talk."

"Wha-!"

The Captain known as Ralin gaped but then knowing that what had been said was an order not a suggestion he would have to do the task. He snarled and scanned the area briskly before nabbing at another Captain of similar age and pushing him into the elevator behind him. Ralin followed and they both descended to the lower floor.

"Ow, goodness what did you do that for?" The other Captain groused.

"Because, Gruha, if I've got to do this ghastly job I'll need to have someone there to stop me from committing suicide while doing so."

"Thank you, I'm absolutely exalted that I would be your first choice for a job that notably glorious." Gruha replied, tone smothered with sarcasm.

"Oh stick you're rifle in it will you? Perhaps you could blow up your brain while you're at it."

"You're the one who wishes to kill yourself not me."

Two scrawny soldiers hauled the main doors of the temple open in a pathetic display and the two bickering Captains waltz through then continued onwards to the main bridge.

"Ugh! Look at them, putrid little parasites." Gruha grimaced as they protruded through the city doors to be met by a row of backs all owned by young children, aged from as young as eleven to fifteen.

"What is this life?" Ralin mirrored Gruha's disgust.

"Sixteen boys and two girls."

"Thank you, Mr. I-stat-all-the-information-you-do-not-care-about. Let's get this over with."

Ralin braced himself, pulling back his shoulders and placing his hands firmly behind his back before stepping in front of the youngsters. Gruha took position behind Ralin just far back enough from the children so he couldn't catch anything.

"Well, well, our new young Yevonites, isn't this a momentous occasion."

Ralin's smirk did not flinch as he stared at one snot nose to the next; all of who wore incredibly intimidated yet inquisitive expressions. Apart from one.

"Now I'm not going to sugar coat it children it's not all fun and games working as a Yevonite, in fact, it's not fun at all, neither is it any sort of game. We live in a very dark time little ones, the time of Sin. I'm sure some of you have heard of him, perhaps he killed your parents?"

Ralin eyeballed a whimpering youth.

"Well it is this we work to destroy, it's a difficult job but entir-."

Ralin stopped short, he had been crouched over in order to gaze into each pair of unearthed eyes but now he was sneering at something's chest. He rose cautiously. This mite must have been at least five foot eight, Ralin at six foot two only just skimmed over his head. The boy was skinny and lanky. Sleek, jet black hair coated his head, it seemed something had tried desperately to tame it back or at least get it out of the child's eyes but to no prevail as the fringe fluffed smoothly across his forehead. His skin was a strange complexion that one could not decipher as pale or tanned, an odd, faint, yellowy hue that Ralin wasn't sure was completely natural. The face was spindly and defined with a clear but not demanding dip from cheekbone to jaw, the space between the two was but a shallow pit. He had a long nose that hooked downwards, like a snake's and a thin mouth however with prominent lips, all of which were a tad too close to his almost non-existed chin; Ralin assumed that was for age's sake though. Finally his eyes, slim and icy, fixated on something invisible in front of him, not faltering once; it was rather frightening.

Ralin cleared his throat.

"Excuse me, young man?"

The boy slowly raised his head, his eyes all the more ominous now the hair had shifted from their obstruction.

"You are aware that you may only apply for the Yevonites, if you wish to take an apprentice course, if you are between the ages of eleven and fifteen?"

The boy nodded, one of his slick eyebrows twitching ever so slightly.

"Well, how old are you?" Ralin scrutinized, assuming he already knew the answer.

"Fourteen, sir." The boy slurred in an oily voice.

"Oh," Ralin's guess had been incorrect and the child was indeed within age regulations. "Excuse me."

Ralin went to move on but he couldn't help but study the boy just a little further, he recognised him, but from where?

"Is," he paused not sure if he should ask, "is your name, Menkaura?"

The boy was taken back but not much, just a faint twinkle in his eye failed to let his surprise go undetected.

"Yes, sir."

Ralin smiled crudely.

"Niles' son." He was glad he investigated now. "We've been awaiting you're arrival for a while. Your father's a grand soldier, very skilled doctor too. Tell me, boy, why haven't you already joined us? We expected you three years ago."

"To be honest, sir, I was a little hesitant to join."

"Really? How so?"

"I wasn't sure whether the organisations ideals appealed to me or not."

Goodness, he was a ballsy, little cretin wasn't he?

"Not like your brother then, no? He came, what was it, Gruha? Seven years ago? The moment he was eligible for a place, dived right in, very enthusiastic child he was. Look where he is today, he's been considered for a Captainship you know?"

"Yes, sir."

Ralin paused, waiting for more but there wasn't. The other children were fidgeting awkwardly a little bewildered. Ralin didn't care though he was curious, he wanted to milk this little 'chinwag' as much as possible. He'd always had a lucid hatred for Niles Menkaura, though in all honesty he hadn't the foggiest idea why. Jealousy? Perhaps, although Niles wasn't a Captain like himself he had been considered numerous times before and nearly every other day someone was raving about what a fine man he was. Ralin detested being involved in any discussion where he was the subject but now that he had this chance of a straightforward and almost biased inside scoop he just couldn't resist temptation.

"Of how many children are you know? Can we expect to see anymore of your flock?"

Once again the spark in the eyes gave it away, he seemed, a little offended.

"I have two brothers, sir, Kanye my elder brother who you mentioned and a younger, Aslan but you won't be seeing him for some years, sir."

"Very well. So, erm, this will be your mother's fourth, no? How is Opal anyway?"

"My mother is fine, sir."

It was a blatantly indiscreet question but Ralin couldn't help but ask. He had a great urge to inquire when the spawn was due but he felt that was going too far, perhaps another day.

"Good," completely insincere of course.

Ralin's brain kept telling him to cease and move on but this experience was all to compelling for the captain.

"Tell me, boy-."

"My name is Logos, sir."

"Fine whatever, has your father shown you how to fire a gun?"

The boy, now identified as Logos, looked lost, it was the first time his whole face had actually moved to his thoughts.

"Yes, sir."

"Correctly?"

"I would think so, sir."

"Well I would have to disagree there."

Ralin had made a closer inspection on the child's eyes and noted that the slimness was not natural; the bottom lid could be seen clearly protruding upwards and blocking the base of the eye and the skin was dark and tight.

"You boy, have been firing a gun with your eyes half shut."

"Wha-, excuse me, sir?"

"The way to correctly fire a weapon is to keep both eyes fully open as to see the whole target. It also avoids straining one's eyes."

Logos looked, a little violated to say the least, utterly puzzled at this new conversation topic.

"I would cease practicing as such, Logos," Ralin made a firm accent on the name as it rolled off his tongue, "if you do you'll give yourself a permanent squint, indeed it won't effect you're aim but I would think for vanity's sake you wouldn't want that."

Ralin grinned, jeering at the boy, then continued up the line and once again flouting 'encouraging' words to the children.

Logos eyed him as he walked away, strange man, he wasn't certain whether he liked him or not but either way he would have to deal with this man again and be obedient to him, liking him had nothing to do with the situation what so ever.

As Ralin finished his journey up the length of brats he swerved off to Gruha who looked very curious.

"So that's another of Niles' boys? He looks terrifyingly like his father doesn't he? At least Kanye has his mother's nose, this one's just, well a clone."

"Yes, irksome little urchin I must say though. Come on we've done what we came to do let's go."

"Er, Ralin, aren't you going to give them orders?"

Ralin paused before turning, did he have to give these rascals an order that they'd most assuredly mess up.

"Your first order of business. You have no order of business."

"Ralin?"

"Guards escort them to their dorms."

The guard's complied and within a matter of moments the imps were out of site.

"Ralin? Why in the name of Yevon did you do that?"

"Because, Gruha, they'll be taken there to get use to their surroundings and hence another captain will have to give them their first command and not me. Therefore if they screw up I'm not the one to blame."

Gruha mulled what was just said to him over in his brain as Ralin headed pompously to the city doors.

"Wise." He finally breathed and followed on the other Captain's heels.