A/N: FF9, again, I'm sorry I can't help it! It's my favvy game...anyway, what if Sarah had never found her way to Alexandria? What if she had ended up in Treno? And would she still meet Zidane? And, most of all, is she still a summoner? Sort of FF9 but possibly a kind of Moulin Rouge outtake. R&R!

Melodies Of Life

Chapter 1-Lost

In the darkened streets of Treno, Sarah watched as the men entered the tavern, already fairly drunk as they clutched the beer in their hands like a holy man with a bible. Sarah coughed loudly as she felt a sharp pain in her throat, but it soon passed and she continued to study the tavern doors. Many other people, or rather women, like Sarah were gazing intently at the pub, as shouts and laughter filled the night air. The nobles of Treno had long since returned to their posh hotel rooms and were most likely smoking cigars and drinking in the privacy of their own quarters.

"Psst." One woman whispered over to Sarah, interrupting her train of thought. "Get over here."

She beckoned Sarah over with a fixed yet crooked smile on her face, but the woman's fierce green eyes told Sarah she was furious.

"What?" she replied shortly.

"Baku wants us to make double the usual tonight. You're gonna hav' ta help, girlie, you're new."

"I've been doin' this for 3 years, Ruby." Sarah retorted, her hands on her hips. "And so what, you lot can manage. I've never been part of your group anyway."

The woman named Ruby looked distraught for a moment then the false smile appeared again on her wrinkled face. "Hun, I know tha'. But Baku-"

"I don't care what Baku wants." Sarah interrupted. I don't take orders from idiots like him. And neither should you, Ruby, he doesn't run your life!"

"Jus' be careful, Sarah. He don' like it when gals talk back." Ruby warned, nodding furtively. She set about making her dress show off more of her ageing body. Ruby hastily glanced at Sarahs red dress as she did so, making Sarah withdraw slightly in embarrassment. Ruby glimpsed longingly, almost jealously, over her long brown hair and her perfect curved figure, and onto her spotless moonlit skin and long legs.

"Ruby?" Sarah said uncomfortably. Ruby looked up suddenly and awkwardly turned her back, making her way over to the other girls.

Sarah saw the other girls give her a sly glare, each secretly saying what they wish they could do to her. But they, just as much as Sarah, knew the rules of their game. Sticking together was the only way to survive.

A couple of hours later, Sarah had made herself enough money to sleep in the inn for the night. She pocketed the money after her last 'customer', who drunkenly gave her an extra few Gil. She grinned as she walked away from him, getting her breath back as she took the quickest route to the inn. Her bare feet clopped against the cold stone of the ground, but she heard someone else's steps behind her. Nervously, she turned around, expecting the man coming back for his money. She was alone. She shrugged and began to walk further, approaching the alleyways half way mark; the back of the tavern. She heard the footsteps again, a faster pace this time. She twisted round swiftly, but again, no one there. She frowned and dug the money further into her pocket. It wasn't the first time she had been caught.

Suddenly, a man grabbed her from behind and placed his large hand over her mouth, drowning out her yells. He slammed her against the alleyway wall, pressing hard on her mouth and keeping her still by pushing her stomach.

"Littl' bitch," the man said gruffly, his face so close to her Sarah could smell his breath. After a few moments the man let her go and she gasped for air, bending down.

"Baku..." Sarah muttered in between coughs, clutching her throat. "Nice to see you."

"Pleasure," Baku replied sarcastically, taking a cigar from his pocket and lighting it. "Word is that you seem to think you can do what ever you damn like around here," he said, holding Sarahs gaze.

"And?"

Baku thrust the cigar to his lips and took a draw. He blew the smoke in Sarahs face.

"I think we should settle this right here, don't you?" his tone had become angry.

Sarah shrugged, but she was beginning to get nervous. "Settle what?"

Unexpectedly, Baku threw his half smoked cigar onto the ground and grabbed Sarah around the neck, clenching his fingers tightly around her throat. She spluttered helplessly as her back hit the wall in agony. She felt her breathing slow as she struggled against Bakus weight.

"Now, you listen good, lady. I make sure you whores stay safe if you give me the goods. Never," he tightened his hold, "Never will one of you disobey me, you hear? You whores aren't even good enough for my protection...give me the money."

Sarah coughed and tried to loosen his grip, but he stayed strong. Her throat felt it was on fire and she fought to keep breathing. "The...po-pock-pocket..." she gasped, as he ripped open her pocket and greedily took the contents. She grasped her throat forcefully, rubbing it to get the feeling back. She took deep breaths and leant against the wall in a cold sweat, shaking. Panic flooded through her body as Baku still stood there, counting all of her money.

She ran, jumped out of the way of Baku, and tore through the alleyway.

Sarah fought her way through the crowd and bolted down the alleyway, up the stone steps and through the archway and down the corridor, along to the very gates of Treno...

She looked around, bewildered; she could see nothing at all through the mist and rain, no airship in sight, not even a chocobo. And she knew nothing else would be able to reach the high, rocky mountains on which Treno sat so proudly. Sarahs bare feet grazed the green grass of the outside marshes, as she absent-mindedly stepped out of her city, not realising this had been the furthest she had gone from the place that had been her home for 17 miserable years. Her arms draped feebly by her side, as she stumbled along the land to the edge of the cliff face, watching the fog surround her and see traces and mere outlines of airships in the sky, too high up to distinguish actual shapes.

"What am I doing?" she whispered to herself, rain spraying her face, gradually wiping off the make up. She closed her eyes and let herself get completely soaked, her body shivering and dripping with water. Slowly, the drizzle washed away the cosmetics, the perfume, and Sarahs own salty tears...

The hours passed as the city of Treno stayed dark, as nobles slept in their beds and poor children cried for food, for protection, for money, for anything that anyone would give them. Sarah wept and fell to her knees as her meaningless existence filled her with an innate sense of dread and despair.

A/N: Not that great...but still. Yes, Sarah is a prostitute. But it gets better, I promise. Review this please, or I might not bother to continue. Zidane stars in next chapter lol! What did you think of Baku though, the big meanie...anyway. R&R, people!