Reliving the past

By: Bree-2006

AN: wow...so many reviews! I know I got this chappy out a little fast, but I've had nothing better to do all week. Also, I FINALLY GOT MY ROOM'S COMPUTER FIXED! I can finally download music. (Which I am currently doing) Thank you:

Paine-171229: hyper-ness greatest feeling in the world. I'm so glad that I have such an awesome reviewer...or should I say reviewers?

Kingleby: I'm so happy to have such a noble reviewer! Thank you for the many, many, many reviews.

Indigofaery: once again I want to thank you for the reviews. They make me feel so special! Thank you for all the wonderful reviewies!

Cheekytriangle: Hi I'm glad you like my story so far, thank you for the reviews you sent me. You rock!

Chapter 13

Baralai looked subconsciously around him noticing that two of his companions had disappeared. Glancing at Rikku who was narrowly avoiding Gippal, he turned his attention to Paine. She walked steadily in front of him, a small, barely noticeable sprint in her step. He noted the small upward frown on her lips as she watched Rikku blow Gippal a fruitful raspberry. He took a sideward glance into her ruby eyes and found them full of mirthful laughter, obviously intrigued by the two Al Bhed's bickering.

He loved watching her from far away, catching the small smiles that sometimes tugged on her lips. He loved the way she held her laughter in, wanting so seem so...mature. He had known her for a while now. He could count the times that she actually pulled out a full-fledged smile on his fingers. He could tell when she was being sarcastic, and when she was being honest.

During the crimson squad he had confined in her, telling her about his dreams, his fears, his weaknesses. Although she never told him hers, he knew about them, the constant loneliness, horrible guilt and sour-filled regret. The pain she had gone through when Sin had killed her parents. The torment of going from foster home to foster home, the bulling she had suffered most of her life. And now as an adult, she could end all that. She had become an elusive hero, befriended the most popular women in Spira, and dare he say...captured his heart.

Paine, feeling his lingering gaze turned to him. He frowned quickly avoiding her eyes. His mind pleaded with him to say something, yet nothing came out of his mouth. His eyes returned to Rikku and Gippal, who were at the moment engulfed in a heavy insult session.

"Fru tu oui drehg oui yna, biddehk ouin cmeso duhkia tufh so drnuyd? E ryt du pnicr so daadr vun ruinc dnoehk du kad ouin cbed uid uv drana!" Rikku screamed poison enveloping out of her voice.

Who do you think you are, putting your slimy tongue down my throat? I had to brush my teeth for hours trying to get your spit out of there!

"Rao oui fana dra uha dryd lyjat eh yht geccat sa pylg." He counter, placing his hand on his hips. Rikku was taken aback as she glared daggers at the cockiest man she had ever known.

Hey you were the one that caved in and kissed me back.

"Oayr mega hajan...oui...ur oui yna, famm ruf tu E bid drec? Y taknytehk alumukelym syhevacdydeuh dryd femm bnupypmo ryja sa dycdehk csugat vmyh vun y faag!" She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her some-what exposed chest. Gippal laughed matting her hair with his palms.

Yeah like never...you...oh you are, well how do I put this? A degrading ecological manifestation that will probably have me tasting smoked flan for a week!

"Pek funtc vun oui Cid's kenm." Rikku turned her back to him.

Big words for you Cid's girl.

"Crid ib!"

Shut up!

Rikku turned around and raised her arm to slap Gippal when she heard faint laughing from behind her. Placing her hand back at her side, she picked it back up and waved happily at Tidus and Yuna, who had walked carelessly out of the Inn only minutes before.

"Hey Rikku...don't you think what you said to Gippal was a little harsh?" Tidus asked as he watched Gippal feign hurt at the rambunctious blond.

"Nuh-uh, not at all, and what do you know! Mr. I-just-learned-Al-Bhed-three-years-ago-and-think-I'm-perfect!" Tidus shook his head.

"Hey! It's called practice Rikku...and I don't think I'm perfect." Rikku laughed.

"All men think they are, they think they could just pry open a girls mouth and stick there wets slobbery tongue inside!" Yuna covered her mouth, trying to keep herself from laughing.

"Calm down Rikku, this isn't something to get all worked up about." Yuna spoke quietly. Rikku folded her arms over her chest, ignoring her cousin's words. She began looking around for a way to end this conversation. Seeing nothing, she sighed.

"That was a creepy analogy Rikku, come on give us men some credit." Tidus muttered. Rikku pouted.

"Nope!"

Gippal laughed playfully as he tugged on one of Rikku's many braids. Pouting even more she slapped his hand away.

"Myo uvv dra kuuteac secdan!" she yelled pointing her finger angrily at his chest. Paine laughed, looking absentmindedly in Baralai's direction.

Baralai too looked at her, blushing when their eyes accidentally met. Paine walked forward, hushing the overly angry teenager with her scary death glare.

"We don't have all day, we should be going soon." She spoke looking at Yuna who nodded grimly, heading back to the airship they kept silent. Tidus was the first to break the silence that had surrounded them. Whistling loudly so that he was heard he looked around.

"Something's not right..." he trailed glancing around the area eagerly. The ground below his feet began to shake, and tree's and towers around him began to shrivel to the ground in a pile of rubble. Yuna jumped backwards knocking herself into Baralai, he carefully caught her and looked at the group.

"There's something coming!" he shouted flailing his stick in the air.

"Fiends don't usually come this close to civilization." Yuna yelled turning herself into a Darknight. Tidus readied his sword, making his way to stand beside Yuna. He pushed her out of the way as a building above them collapsed and sent rubble shooting down at them. The ground began to glow a neon purple, mist forming through the cracks. It seemed ready to swallow anything that came near it. The ground shook again. Rikku screamed, covering herself with her hands. The ground opened further, and Tidus knew the scene all too well.

The neon purple, the shrouded mist.

"Yevon!" he yelled eyeing Yuna.

"Now...but why?" she whispered as more objects began to fall around her. Gathering her courage she headed straight for it, weapon drawn, she was going to put an end to this once and for all.

"Yuna!" They all screamed. Tidus grabbed her wrist, stopping her from being crushed by a piece of falling rock. She fell back colliding with his broad chest. Tidus didn't flinch, didn't move, and didn't dare to think. Holding her forcibly against his chest, she tried to shake her way out.

"We have to get out of here...were not fit to fight it yet!" he screamed to the others. Paine and Rikku nodded slowly moving away from it. Gippal headed to the others quickly and Baralai stood in place as Yevon's gaze fell discreetly on him. They locked eyes, and Yevon's beetle like body lunged forward knocking him down into the mist.

"Baralai!" Paine screamed running to find his body. Yuna finally got away from Tidus's grasp and ran to her friend. Tidus covered them, throwing his Catablog up in the air like a mad man. Paine fell to her knees. The space that Baralai had fallen to was nothing more then a bottomless hole. She yelled his name again searching desperately for him. When minutes past without any sign of him, she stood. It was gone. Yevon had disappeared, leaving a small cloud of black dust where its form had once stood. The mist had begun to fade, and her friends tried their best to gain their composers.

Tidus was the first to stand. Helping Rikku to sit up Tidus noticed a shrill of blood drip down his friend's cheek. She had been blown to the wall, hitting it extremely hard. She was conscious but Tidus didn't think she would be for much longer. After sitting her against a partially attached wall, he headed to Gippal. His leg had been trapped under a large piece of Rubble and Tidus tried his best to free him. Yuna helped Paine stand.

"Yuna...Paine I need some help here!" he shouted taking the girls out of there reverie. Paine stood in place, too shocked to move, and Yuna Ran over to him.

"I can't get this damn piece of scrap off of his leg. It's too heavy." He told her trying to pick the piece up again. Gippal screamed in agony as the rubble crushed his leg. Yuna grabbed her sword and tried to cut it in half. Gippal screamed even more as Tidus did the same. Finally the piece was lift-able and together Yuna and Tidus lifted it with very little ease. Wiping her brow Yuna stood up. Tidus examined Gippal's crashed leg and looked up to grab Yuna's hand.

"How well are you?" he asked her. She pondered the question. He covered Gippal's bleeding leg with a piece of cloth from his shirt and Yuna looked down at him, her hands glowing a florescent white.

"Well enough." She said placing her hand over his leg. She smiled as she poured all of her energy into Gippal's broken leg. Satisfied when she felt him breath a sigh of relief she looked up and scanned the area.

"No..." Yuna whispered looking around at what used to be Guadosalam.

Empty.

Everything was destroyed. Battered, bruised, and mangled Guado's littered the hallways. And once again thanks to Yevon, a friend had disappeared.

(AN: WOO HOO! YAY! PLOT TIME! Thank you reviewers!

Oh BTW:

"Myo uvv dra kuuteac secdan!" means "Lay off the goodies mister!")