Grey Faerie.
Aboard the Celsius, everyone was asleep.
Yuna, Rikku and Paine all slept soundly in their beds, Shinra slept in his chair, trying to stay up late to work on an experiment but failing miserably.
The only one's who weren't asleep were Buddy and Brother, they were playing Sphere Break on the bridge, Brother was losing spectacularly.
Paine stirred.
She rolled over in bed and mumbled something.
Her eyes flickered and they opened suddenly.
She was breathing heavily, waking herself up from the nightmare she was having, then she let out a sigh of relief when she saw that she was on the Celsius.
"Ed'c ug...." She muttered as she got out of bed and made her way to the deck in her pyjamas.
She sighed into the wind and felt her necklace with her hand.
"......"
She sat on the deck as she thought about the nightmare she'd had, and where it had stemmed from.
[Flashback]
A girl with black hair sat in Djose temple praying to the fayth. She wore a black Bodice and a grey skirt that reached her knees.
She was no older than 15. Her hair just reached her shoulders and her blue eyes glittered. She stopped praying and smiled before whispering "Dryhge oiu..."
She left the chamber, drained and collapsed as she entered the antechamber.
Before she hit the floor she was caught by another girl, this girl was taller than her, possibly 16, and had silver hair and amber eyes.
"You ok?"
"Yeah...I'm fine..."
The silver haired girl held her for a while, letting her get her strength back, then the summoner stood up, rejuvenated.
"Let's go..."
The black haired girl led the other into the main hall in Djose temple, where they were greeted by Priests and nuns.
"Lady Yumi..." they prayed thanks to Yevon but the girl merely blinked.
"I'm no summoner of Yevon."
The head priest looked confused.
"My lady?"
"She's not a yevonite." The silver haired girl explained.
"LadyYumi? Paine?"
They left the temple in silence, they made their way to the moonflow and sat down watching it in silence.
"Paine?" Yumi spoke.
"Yes?" Paine draped an arm around her shoulder.
"A...Are you my guardian then?"
There was silence as Paine looked out over the moonflow.
"Yes."
"Even though I'm...not yevonite?"
"I will protect you until the end."
[Back to the present day...]
"What're you doing up here?" Rikku's cheery voice bounced to Paine.
Paine didn't face her and continued facing the wind.
"?"
Rikku sat next to her.
"Thinking."
"You do too much of that..."
Paine bit back the reply of: you do too little.
"Hm."
Rikku stood up and feigned deep thought.
"I've got some news..."
Paine raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?"
"Shinra's found a sphere!"
"Really?"
Rikku nodded.
Paine blinked.
"Uh...so where is it?"
"That's the point!"
Rikku grinned.
Paine shook her head, not understanding.
"HE found it! He's already got it!"
"Oh!"
Paine stood up.
"Better go get dressed then."
"Yup-Yup!"
Rikku was grinning like a lunatic.
"He says he found it in Brother's archive."
"Uh, isn't that a BAD thing?" Yuna tilted her head at Buddy.
Buddy grinned.
"He says it's video footage from the Al Bhed home, from about 14 years ago."
"So it would've been Rikku was about three?"
Rikku bounced in.
"Hey! What you saying about me?"
"This video might have you on it Rikku." Yuna smiled enigmatically as Rikku frowned, confused.
Paine came in and folded her arms.
"Where IS Shinra?"
"I'm right here." He appeared at the door holding a sphere.
"Shall we?" He motioned towards the chair.
They all nodded.
Except Paine who just raised an eyebrow.
Shinra turned the screen on, and an image flickered into life.
"Ec ed uh?" (Is it on?)
A woman's voice was heard.
Then a bright light filled the screen, a woman with blond hair and tanned skin moved across the screen.
She turned back and smiled into the lens, she was wearing something not too dissimilar to what Rikku had worn on Yuna's pilgrimage.
She had emerald green eyes and was obviously Al Bhed.
"Uha lulahd!" (One moment!)
She pointed and ran off screen.
There was a giggle as a small girl with blond hair ran into view, about 3 years old and hyper active, it was obvious who this was.
"Hey! It's me!" Rikku pointed.
The Rikku on screen laughed and jumped up and down.
"Rammu!" Then she giggled and ran off screen.
The blond woman entered again.
"Rikku! Paryja!" (Rikku! Behave!)
another woman was dragged into view by the blond, it was a heavily pregnant tall woman with very fair blond hair and brown Al Bhed eyes.
The blond smiled and finally spoke in common language.
"This is Byeha, she's just joined the family!"
The sphere holder nodded.
"And...as you can see we're expecting a new member pretty soon!"
The blond smiled as Byeha just blushed.
Rikku ran back on screen.
"Who is that?" Paine frowned.
Rikku looked dreamy.
"The blond one is my mom. I've heard of an Aunty Byeha...but I think she was killed by Sin, a long time ago."
Yuna nodded.
"Hey, do you think...this sphere is a news sphere?"
"News sphere?" Paine and Rikku tilted their heads at her.
"I mean, recorded for someone else."
"Which someone else do you have in mind?"
Paine crossed her arms over her chest.
"I was thinking...maybe this was recorded for my mom and dad, we ARE family after all."
Yuna smiled meekly.
Shinra tapped on the keyboard.
"It's highly possible."
"Especially as it was found in Brother's archives."
Rikku frowned.
"Is that all there is?"
"No."
Shinra sat up in his chair.
"It can be used as a dress-sphere."
"Cool!" Rikku punched the air.
"But only Paine can use it."
"Wha?" Paine leant forwards.
"Why?"
Shinra shrugged.
"It will only fit your body format."
"Can't you change that?"
Rikku pouted and Shinra shrugged.
"I'm just a kid."
Yuna and Rikku groaned as Paine blinked at the sphere which Shinra had just handed her.
"Byeha?"
Yuna looked at her.
"What's wrong?"
Paine looked back.
"It's just...I've heard that name before..."