Since our fight with Baralai things had gone from bad to worse. For me and for Spira. Both factions were a second away from war. Both Baralai and Nooj were missing and Gippal was taking care of his own affairs. When we arrived back at the Celsius Buddy informed us that fiends where coming up from the temples. Yuna instantly wanted to help but Rikku suggest we charge for our services. I couldn't care less either way. I'd just beaten the man I love to a pulp then listened to all the things I could understand right now. Spira could wait.

When this is over, please...come back to me.

By the high summoners orders we hit every location in Spira, some more than once. It was tough trying to keep above it all. In Besaid a youth League rep called Beclem wanted to burn down the temple to stop the fiends. I agreed with him. What was one building to people's lives? But Yuna proved me wrong, saving everyone and stopping the fiends. She explained to me that what was coming out of the holes were Aeons, like the one we saw just after we fought Baralai, and something was manipulating them. To be honest I didn't really understand. I was too worried about my friends.

Why don't you join us?

These echoes in my head were somehow worse now. They were all alive and I had the chance to save them. Boy, we sure took our sweet time doing that.

By the time we reached Djose, Gippal had it under hand. Or so he said. He told Yuna how they couldn't run to her every time something happened. He then spent the next few minutes telling us how him and Rikku had made 'quite the couple' I tried not to laugh. Thinking back to all the things he had said in the crimson squad you'd think he was going to marry this girl. Rikku was far from impressed and insisted we left. She tried to tell Yuna the whole journey back that nothing happened between them. Sure, and I'm a fairy godmother. Truth is that throughout all the places we visited, I wasn't really there. So many thoughts consumed me. The den of Woe. The pyreflies...

so many pyreflie.

They appeared almost everywhere we visited, all the summoning spots. I knew somewhere in them I would find my answers. Even if I didn't like the answers I got. We eventually decided to check in on all the factions. The youth League were too busy seeking revenge on Nooj to even bother with us. But Bevelle was a different story all together. They were all falling apart without Baralai. Maybe now Spira understands how I feel everyday. We managed to sneak down into the Bevellian underground when we saw him.

"Was that Gippal? What's he doing here?" Rikku asked. Causing trouble most likely, I thought. We followed him to the chamber Vegnagun had been in last.

Why did you follow us?

They're all here...Nooj, Baralai, Gippal. United finally. Somehow I don't feel the warmth I was expecting for this moment.

"If you were on time, then I'd really start to worry." I heard Nooj say to a late Gippal. It was strange. Hiding here watching the events unfold, knowing what he had done.

"So much for being missing." Yuna commented, also intrigued in the scene on front of us. The last time we had all been together was...

You scared? Bang!

"-of...Vegnagun is gone." Baralai calmly commented. I'd zoned out again. Was this our fault? Had we activated it to flee? What if Baralai was right? Him and Nooj appeared to argue over what had set it off, Baralai putting our captain straight.

"You did your homework." Nooj barked almost impressed.

"I've had two years." Baralai corrected. A long two years. What has happened to those three boys I knew? So carefree and ready for anything. Had so long passed in between then and now?

When we get sin the calm will begin. Got anything fun planned?

Before I could even comprehend half of what Baralai and Nooj have shared I see 'Lai with a gun pulled on Nooj. Had he just accused Nooj of activating Vegnagun? So many questions unanswered.

I haven't really thought about it

"Why did you shoot? Why did you shoot Gippal and me? We were friends, and you shot us in the back!" Baralai yells. I can see the other girls looking confused. I wasn't the only one with questions. "Answer me!" Baralai yelled. I could feel the tension in the air. The unresolved conflict that had built up over two years of lies. So different from the Baralai we all knew. Gippal tried to calm him down unsuccessfully. He pulls his gun out and points it at Baralai.

"If this is what it takes." Gippal said. It was happening again. That deadly triangle. I felt sick inside, reliving the den again. I could feel it building in me. I was being deafened by the silence of my fear. I only saw. Nooj laughed. The pyerflies... He pulled out his gun and began to explain something. I was shook out of my daze by the mention of my name.

"You shot Paine, too?" Gippal asked in shock. This was going to be hard to explain to Yuna.

"Why?" Baralai asked in devastation. "Answer me!" I'd never seen him so mad before. I was scared for this man in front of me. So full of contempt and revenge.

"I made him do it. He was too weak to resist me." Nooj said in a voice that wasn't his own. Could it be? Was Nooj possessed the whole time? But why? How had this happened? Coming here had only added more questions. I didn't understand. I was confused and angry. Why? I looked up again seeing Baralai bent over with a look of pain. He talks in that strange voice of Nooj's. No, this can't be happening. The pyreflies...Its all connected. Now something bad was happening to Baralai. The man I love. It was too much. No more lies. No more secrets. No more anything.

"STOP!" I cried running out.

"Paine get out of here." Nooj barked. Before I can say any more a fiend attacks behind us. It was a moderate battle, although I spent it watching out of the guys. When it was over I noticed them escape.

"So you knew all three of them." Yuna said. She wanted answers. Well so did I.

"Long ago." Or so it felt that way at least. A dream ago. They proceeded to quiz me to the point I didn't want to answer any more. Yes, Nooj had shot us. Yes, we were all friends before that. Yes, I missed it all. All I could think of is Baralai and the odd voice he had when he went to shoot Nooj. I was scared maybe now I would be pursuing him to protect Spira. No one wanted to protect Spira more than Baralai. I couldn't take fighting him again. I think it would kill me.

Yes, I shot you