"Praetor Baralai!"
Baralai gave the terms of the Youth League treaty one more glance before signing it - there would be no more warring between the factions. That done, he set the papers aside and looked up. "What is it, Daibur?"
Daibur gave the traditional Yevon bow and straightened up. "There is an Al Bhed man here, Praetor. He demands to see you."
Baralai sighed inwardly – knowing Daibur, he could guess what was coming next. "So why haven't you sent him in? I told you, I don't need you to filter my guests."
Daibur's expression of shocked indignation gave the impression that Baralai had just ordered the destruction of Zanarkand Temple, rather than politely asked to see a visitor. "But Praetor – he's an Al Bhed! They turned their backs on the teachings; they have turned Djose Temple into a place of Sin, filled with forbidden machina..."
"Daibur, 'a place of Sin' has no meaning now. Sin has been defeated, and so there are no longer any places that can attract It."
"Praetor, the reason Sin appeared in the first place was because of the machina. If these Al Bhed scum are to continue in their treacherous work, how do we know that Sin will not appear again?"
There was no sign of Baralai's anger other than a slight narrowing of the eyes – he had learned, long ago, how to hide his emotions. "Why did you come to speak to me about this?"
"I had to know whether you wanted us to send him away."
"And if I had ordered you to?"
"We would have forced him to leave Bevelle."
Baralai nodded. "At gunpoint?"
A pause. "...yes. But these guns are not machina – they are machines! There is a difference!"
The Praetor smiled slightly, leaning back in his chair. "Well then, you should have no problem with the Al Bhed. As I hear it, what they are building at Djose are machines. Not machina. And if a soldier of New Yevon uses machines, surely they cannot oppose the teachings?"
"But..."
Baralai stood. "Is the Al Bhed in front of the temple?"
"Yes, but..."
"I'm going to see him. Order your men to withdraw." He walked silently past the stunned Daibur and stepped onto the lift.
It had seemed like such a good idea at the time. Really. It had.
Driven by vague recollections of how listening to or singing a song that was constantly playing in the mind would sometimes succeed in purging it, Gippal had come up with his 'brilliant plan'. If that was the case, he reasoned, then surely there was a chance that seeing and speaking to Baralai might cure him of his bizarre obsession. Baralai wouldn't be hurt, and Gippal would no longer desire the unattainable. Perfect!
The doors of the temple swung slowly open, and Baralai stood there, staring at Gippal with undisguised amazement.
"Gippal?"
...At the time, it had seemed to be a good idea.
"Hi," offered Gippal weakly.
"Nice to see you," Baralai said, composing himself. "What brings you to Bevelle?"
Er. Right. Of course he was going to ask that.
Somehow, when Gippal pictured this, it was easy. He came to Bevelle, Baralai came out to see him, and ta-da! Job done. No more inappropriate thoughts about the Praetor of New Yevon. He'd forgotten that, at some point, he would probably have to give a reason for being there.
Well, Gippal couldn't tell him the real reason, of course. His 'brilliant plan' didn't seem to be working quite as well as he had hoped, and he didn't want to lose his friend over this. Equally he couldn't just stand there and look stupid, because nobody would be insane enough to go all the way from Djose to Bevelle for no reason.
...Maybe he could pretend that he'd forgotten his reason on the way here?
("Hi Baralai! I just travelled for hour after hour to get here, but I seem to have forgotten why. Isn't that odd, now?")
...Maybe not.
Okay, Gippal, say something. It doesn't matter what it is, just give some reason for your coming here.
"I... needed some exercise, so I went for a walk, and I kind of ended up here."
Something BELIEVABLE, you idiot!
Baralai raised an eyebrow. "You... I'm sorry, what?"
Gippal laughed too loudly. "I'm kidding! No, I just came here to visit you. I don't need a reason to visit a friend, right?" He paused. "...Oh, of course!"
Now thoroughly confused, Baralai came forward. "Gippal, is something wrong?"
He shook his head violently, grinning now. "No! No, I'm fine. I just wanted to ask you... you know those Crimson Spheres that Cid's girl and her friends picked up? Have you seen them yet?"
"No, but..."
"Well, they weren't all there, y'know? So I thought we could go look for the other spheres. Might be fun."
Baralai paused. He may have been good at disguising his feelings, but Gippal knew him all too well and could tell that he was intrigued. "...I can't. I have to look after New Yevon."
"Aw, c'mon! We can all go together. It'll be just like the old times."
"Nooj and Paine? Have you asked them yet?"
Gippal hesitated. "Nah, but I was gonna go see them just after persuading you. I mean, what kind of adventure would it be without Nooj?" He stiffened his left arm and leg, speaking in a passable imitation of Nooj's voice. "Greetings. I... am Nooj. Death death death DEATH death death death. Brats."
Baralai tried to hide his laughter, without success. "It sounds great."
"So you're coming?" asked Gippal, hopefully.
He sighed and shook his head. "I told you, I can't. Somebody has to keep control of New Yevon."
"It doesn't necessarily have to be you, right?"
"Who else would I appoint? Daibur?"
"I don't know who that is, but if you think he can handle it... sure!"
Baralai laughed softly. "Daibur's the last person I would want as a praetor."
"Look, just find someone. Drag them in off the street if you have to, I don't care. You've abandoned your post before, right? Look -" Gippal caught a passing woman by her collar, and she yelped in terror. "You. D'you think you'd be able to look after Bevelle for a while? The praetor's taking a break."
She didn't respond, instead throwing frantic glances at Baralai in a silent plea for help. Baralai tried his hardest to look stern, managing – with a magnificent effort of will – not to burst out laughing.
"Let go of her, Gippal."
"Just let her answer the question, okay? Would you be able to take care of New Yevon?"
"I... couldn't really say," she managed, choosing her words carefully to avoid provoking this madman. Gippal let go of her collar.
"Tch. Fine."
"And you wonder why so many people are afraid of the Al Bhed," mock-chided Baralai, grinning.
"Yeah, yeah. So, are you coming or not?"
Baralai paused. The prospect of getting away from the workload of a Praetor was an attractive one, certainly... and the members of New Yevon were mostly adults, they could handle themselves...
"Baralai?"
"I'll find someone to take my place." He smiled. "I'll come."
Gippal nodded and smirked triumphantly. "Knew you couldn't resist."
Although he was interested in finding the remaining Crimson Spheres, Gippal had another motive, although he didn't tell Baralai this.
If I'm going to desire the unattainable, he decided, I might as well try to attain it.