**Wowee! 12 chapters, I'm so proud! ^_^ Are they good? Do tell! Um...its kinda slowing down, I'm so sorry about that, and sorry about my long absence...there's this deal with my chemistry class and my missing school (with my health problems, oyoy), so the chapters might be a little longer in coming. Gomen nasai...but hey, the chapter is a tad longer this time! YEA! And the guy I was talking about earlier? He's still bugging me all the time...lol. This one's for you! XD**

Mariana had reached the second temple in northwestern Nevada without a hitch, and was now headed for the third in the deep south of Oregon. The towns on the way, all of them, had changed into the quaint type of living quarters and style of most of the smaller villages in the original Spira.

Genki had kept the fast pace up well, carrying all of their supplies and taking care of most fiends they encountered--not that she really needed the help. Regardless, it was enjoyable watching the young man show off to her by taking them on.

Genki may have been innocent and even ignorant to some things, however, he was not stupid. He had begun to question Mariana's motives, all while staying in the guise of respectful guardian.

"Lady, I...I've heard you at night, in your tent." He had brought the subject up out of the blue that night around their campfire. She responded with a silent look up at him.

He cleared his throat and clasped his hands together. "You...you talk in your sleep, Lady Mariana. I can hear it when I keep watch at night."

Mariana watched the fire flicker. "Yes?"

"Well, ah..." Genki coughed. "You...you say odd things, my Lady."

She smiled, still staring at the fire. "Oh, I do?"

Genki had a hard time to not just watch her. The firelight made her look even more beautiful than in the daylight. He coughed again.

"You...you speak of Sin as if it were, ah, as if it were not just a game character for your life. I mean--" He stopped a moment, his mouth visibly searching for the right words. "Like you've seen it before, in real life. You scream out at night about your father and mother." He made himself look at Mariana in the eyes, his shoulders shaking. "About it killing them..."

Mariana faltered a moment, her cool gaze interrupted by a shockwave of memory.

*-*-*-*-*

"Mama! Daddy! They saw it!" The five year old girl ran in from the beach, pointing towards the shoreline. "The Crusaders saw it! Its coming!"

Her father ran out the door and her mother went to follow. The little girl tugged on her mother's dress.

"Mama, where are you going?"

Her mother pulled her daughter's hand away from her skirt. "We have to help, Mariana. Your father and I are part of the Crusaders, you know that--"

"But Mama, its really really close, and they said that a summoner is here, too!"

She knelt down next to her daughter and hushed her. "Even a summoner without the final aeon needs all the help they can get, dear. We must go help." She stood up again, and grabbed a sword off of the hut wall. "Stay here, and keep under the bed. You'll be safe there." Without another word, she ran out the doorway and into the fray.

The girl whimpered. "Mama...daddy..."

*-*-*-*-*

"Lady Mariana? My Lady?"

The voice interrupted her thoughts. She shook her head and looked up at the young man, who was now seated next to her.

"My Lady, you...you blanked out. You wouldn't respond." He paused a moment. "Um, about what you say in your sleep--"

"That, Genki," she said, turning away, "is a story for another night." With that, she retreated to her tent and bid him a quiet "Good night."

Genki stared after her for a minute, simply blinking. He finally stood up and pulled out his sword, watching it glow in the firelight.

"Another night..." He sighed, sheathing his sword. "A story for another night." Pushing his bangs out of his eyes, he shook his head and stared out into the distance. "My Lady, what are you keeping from me?"

*-*-*-*-*

"We've been walking for three days, eating only berries and mushrooms and the occasional fish! Berries and mushrooms and FISH!" Niet groaned. "I don't even LIKE fish!" She sat on the ground, her stomach rumbling. Niet gave her stomach a pat. "I need real food!"

Yueh sighed, seating herself next to Niet. "You were the one who didn't pack food," she reminded. Niet grunted grumpily.

Arashi, however, had been in a cheery mood since they had left the first temple. She took out the map and pointed to it with a smile. "We're almost to New Besaid, guys. We can pick up some food and rations there." She stuffed the map back in her pack and went on in front of the other two.

Niet, hearing the magic word "food," jogged after her, asking what exactly they could get to eat. Yueh stood up slowly, watching after Arashi.

At least she's feeling better about the whole summoner thing, she thought. She began to walk after them, sighing once more. None of this would have happened if it weren't for that stupid stone... Yueh looked at the gem around her neck. "Stupid thing." I never should have picked it up, or called Valefore, or...or anything!

"Yueh! Hurry up! I can see the town ahead!"

"And I can smell the food already!"

"Niet..." Arashi giggled.

Yueh ran up to the other two, putting the thoughts of guilt behind her as they walked into the first town they had seen in days. Arashi spread out a hand in a welcoming gesture.

"Welcome to New Besaid..." She grinned. "...ya?"

"Food food food!" Niet ran ahead, her nose sniffing the air wildly. Arashi ran after her wayward guardian, insisting they introduce themselves properly first.

Yueh just stared at the town of small huts and the temple in the distance. All of this brought here because of her decision to try to summon an aeon. Everything changed because of her...

She took in a deep breath. She'd fix it. She'd put everything back to normal before anyone got hurt.

"I'll fix it."

She ran after Niet and Arashi, also smelling the food that awaited their stomachs. "Wait up, guys! Leave me some!" She caught up to the two older girls and grabbed their shoulders. "Wait!"

"Fooooood," Niet mumbled. She stared into a few of the huts that were open and watched one family as they ate.

"Mommy, there's a scary lady outside..." The young girl leaned forward to get a better look.

"Sh, eat your dinner," her mother ordered. Niet watched as the mother scooped more potatoes onto her daughter's plate.

"Yum..."

Yueh sighed. "Niet..." She dragged her along to the outside of the temple, where Arashi was currently speaking to an elderly man. Yueh's guess was that it was the temple's priest. They were finally within hearing distance.

"...and we would like to eat and rest for the night before going on our way, if that would be all right," Arashi finished, giving a small nod of her head. Her goggles slid down on her forehead, but she didn't seem to notice.

The old man was nodding. "That is more than acceptable, Lady Arashi." So she already introduced herself, Yueh noted. The man peeked behind Arashi and saw Yueh approaching with a resisting Niet behind her. He coughed. "Ah, would these be your guardians, Lady?"

Arashi didn't have to turn around. "Yes. Yueh is the one dragging my other guardian, Niet." Arashi turned to cast a wry glance at Yueh. Yueh was surprised that the summoner wasn't laughing. Turning back, Arashi went on. "It appears Niet's hunger has made her less than sane." The corner of her mouth twitched, and it was a struggle not to smile.

"Ah, yes, of course." The old man nodded. "Of course, Lady Summoner. This way, this way, my niece will kindly cook, I'm sure." He began to hobble off. "Come along, if you would."

When the man had passed Niet and Yueh, Arashi finally burst out in laughter. Yueh tried to hush her and Niet ran after the old man, asking what was for dinner.

"Arashi, really, I think you should--"

"Laugh." Arashi's giggles finally subsided, and she went to follow Niet. "We should always laugh, Yueh." She followed Niet and the old man, leaving Yueh in front of the temple.

"Laugh..." Yueh sighed. That's harder than you think, Arashi...so much harder when you're the one responsible for all this... She shook her head and went after Niet and Arashi. When its all your fault.