Chapter 2: Transformation

(AN: I just had an idea for this and I own nothing.)

Paine woke up the next morning, her eyes burning and her head aching. Suddenly, last night came rushing to her. She had told Baralai why she was hurting so and how she wanted to let go. She instantly regretted it. As a small child after her parents died, she vowed to never let go of what she was deprived of. She reached into the pouch that she kept the pyrefly in to find it missing. Sinking to the floor, Paine wept. She had lost the only thing that made her remember her mother at all.

A woman walked over and put a hand on Paine's back. She eased her to her feet and brought her chin up. The woman had long dark hair, fiery red eyes, smooth pale skin, and long delicate fingers. Paine was taken aback but didn't do anything.

"My little Paine," was all that the woman said.

"Mother," whispered Paine, but that was all she could say, because her mother suddenly faded into her body and everything went black.

Baralai found his wife kneeling on the floor, unconscious hours later. He picked her up and laid her on the bed. Paine woke up at this and opened her eyes. Her husband bent down to kiss her.

"Why did you faint?" asked Baralai after they parted.

Paine decided to keep the day a secret. She hadn't been able to really think about it. Now she wasn't even sure that it had really happened. But she had fainted, and her pyrefly was still missing, so it must have been fact.

"I got up too fast and fell over. I must have gotten knocked out," she explained hopefully. Baralai seemed to buy it and they both got ready for going out, as Rikku and Gippal had invited Tidus, Yuna, Nooj, Lulu, Wakka, and Kimahri along with Paine and Baralai for their anniversary. Paine was just about to walk out the door with her husband, when she broke into a run. She couldn't face him. Even though they just lived a few miles from the happy couple, and they were already early, she just couldn't stand the thought of walking for fifteen minutes and talking about her past. Letting go was supposed to free the anxiety, but it backfired and just thinking about it was painful.

She heard Baralai calling to her, but Paine just kept running. As she ran, something happened. The world around her began to slow. Her hair began to grow and turn black. Her eyes flared a violent crimson twice as red as before. Her skin paled more and she grew taller. Paine didn't even notice this as she was running. Her eyes began to water and her vision blurred. She collapsed into Rikku and Gippal's house and fell unconscious.

Rikku heard a thud and left her post setting the table to see what it was. She found a tall woman with long black hair, a tall lanky figure, and very pale skin. She was wondering who it was as she looked for a clue. She always knew her friends well enough to recognize at least something. But she found a scar running down from her left shoulder to her right hip. She shook the woman awake.

"Rikku?" asked the woman as she opened her crimson eyes.

"Who are you?" asked Rikku, a bit disturbed at this mystery woman having the same scar as Paine and knowing her name.

"Ah," she chuckled, "you forgot my name again. Minus 1 respect point."

"Paine?" gasped Rikku. Paine nodded.

"If you were going to get a makeover, you could have at least told me," whined the blonde Al Bhed.

"What in the Farplane are you talking about?" asked the new Paine, a quizzical look painted on her face. Rikku helped her stand up and guided Paine to a mirror in the bedroom.

"Mother…" Paine paled from ivory to snow.

"What happened?" asked Rikku shakily. But all Paine could do was stare, tears brimming from her eyes, threatening to fall.

Paine finally regained her composure and realized that the morning was, in fact, a reality.

"Tell, me," Rikku said, quivering, "what is causing this?"

Paine suddenly felt so confused. But at least she had a friend. Telling Baralai would only make him worry and never leave her to think. But Rikku was different. She liked to solve problems without help. Deciding to do something she hadn't done in a long time, Paine took a wild chance and told Rikku everything up to falling unconscious in their doorway.

"Well, I know what it is," Rikku said finally.

"What is it?" asked Paine, her eyes suddenly lighting up.

Rikku took a step back and spread her arms. She began to glow. The light around her grew until Paine had to shield her eyes. When the light subsided, an Al Bhed with short blonde hair, skin the color of Baralai's, and about the size of Cid stepped forwards.

"Cid gave me the pyrefly he caught from Nola's sending. Nola, my mother, appeared to me one day and her pyrefly faded into me," Rikku explained.

"Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" asked Paine, still a little freaked out.

"It is an honor to become one with the dead," said Rikku in a voice unlike her own.

"What kind of honor? What are we supposed to do?" asked Paine exasperatedly.

"We're supposed to-" Rikku was cut off.

"Honey, Baralai is here and needs to talk to Pai- holy shit! It happened to her too?" Gippal opened the door.

"Good to see you Gippal," said Paine, a little uncomfortable.

Baralai ran into the room, "What happened? Is Paine okay?" he asked out of breath. Gippal gestured to the woman with ebony hair.

"What happened, Paine?" Baralai asked before realizing that his wife was transformed.

"Ask Rikku…" Paine said, bewildered.

Rikku stood up and spread her arms. She repeated her glowing process and changed back into her regular self.

"Paine and I have been chosen to relive our mother's lives, because they were killed by Sin and hadn't made their destined mark on the world. They had been created for a reason, but killed before it was recognized or fulfilled. We are to fulfill their destiny so that they can finally leave us and rest in peace," Rikku explained.

Everyone was stunned and didn't say anything. There were suddenly knocks at the door.

"Let's continue this after everything's over," Paine suggested as Gippal went downstairs to get the door.

"Sure, but first," Rikku put her hand to Paine's chest, "Let's make you yourself again." Paine became her likeness again and they went downstairs.