Baralai

Meva opened her eyes. She felt hot and wet. Reaching over to wake up Taydr and ask what was going on, everything hit her at once. Taydr and the rest of her family were gone, dead. Paine squeezed her eyes shut but the tears still came. Standing up, Paine felt very dizzy. She made her way over to a nearby rock and sat down. There she passed out and fell onto the hot sandy beach of Besaid Island.

Dream

"Taydr!" Meva ran through the grasses, "Taydr!" Taydr was standing at the edge of the field. Meva ran and reached out to embrace her. Taydr disappeared and Meva fell into oblivion.

End Dream

Paine woke up with a jolt and screamed. It occurred to her that she was not on the rock anymore. But she didn't care. The worst thing possible had happened to her. Where she was did not matter much.

"Finally you've woken up!" a boy with white hair was looking into Paine's blood red eyes with earth brown ones. "What's your name?" he asked.

Paine sat up, but stayed silent. How should she respond? If she said Meva, she would be lying. Meva was dead along with her sister Taydr. But was she really Paine? She still wore Meva's robes, but they were bloodied, as was her soul. She decided not to answer until she knew for sure herself

"My name is Baralai," the boy said after a pause, "How old are you?"

"Twelve," answered Paine with a hollow voice.

"I'm fifteen," Baralai answered, "You look older than twelve."

"I've gone through more in one day than you will in your entire life," Paine replied coldly.

"Really?" asked Baralai, teasing, "Did you fight Sin with just a sword yesterday?"

That just pushed Paine over the edge for some reason. "No, but my sister did. She was my best friend. She told me to go and hide. She died to protect me. I was unable to help. I could have prevented her death. I would give anything to have died instead of her." She dropped her head into her hands and wept bitterly.

Baralai walked out of the room, leaving Paine alone. He figured she needed to be that way for a little bit. He remembered when his parents had died. When the world as he knew it had ended. His older brother Shaene had had to take care of him after that, for he was only six years old. Too young to fully understand what had happened. But Shaene was with the Crusaders and got drafted five years later for a battle with Sin. He never came back. Baralai had been alone and had to live in Besaid with the priests in the temples.

Paine calmed herself and looked up, only to find Baralai gone. Though she had only just met him, she had felt a blanket of comfort and understanding when he was there. Feeling alone once again, she lay down on the bed and cried herself to sleep.

Baralai walked in with a bundle of clothes. Taking off the mysterious girl's blanket, he lay the clothes down on the floor. The teenager untied the ribbons and ties on the girl's bloodied robe and slipped it off of her. Being as careful as he could, he removed her boots. Her arms twitched and her head thrust to one side, and a small 'no' escaped her lips, but no other movement was made. Baralai backed up to make sure that nothing more happened. But he paused a bit longer than needed when he checked her.

Downy silver hair cascaded down a milky-white face onto well-formed shoulders. And hidden under a white cover-up, was a fairly developed chest, which followed down to a well-toned abdomen. A small but modest pair of shorts went over semi-curvy hips, which led to shapely, muscular legs. Being fifteen, Baralai couldn't help but feel giddy from having an attractive girl within his area without protest. But the priests had always taught him to control his feelings. And not being a sick person, he would not take advantage of her, no matter how lovely.

Baralai picked up a green dress with black embroidery of Yevon symbols and unfolded it. Putting it over Paine's head, he somehow slipped her arms through the sleeves and brought the dress to her ankles. Picking up a pair of brown boots, he slipped them on her tiny feet. But Paine began to stir so Baralai ran out of the room as silently as he came in before she woke up.

Author's note: how did I do? If it sucks, I'm sorry. It's 12:30 AM and I am too tired to see straight. So I apologize again. And I hope I was modest enough with the dressing thing. God knows what my friends would think if I was perverted with it. And it won't be pointless in the next chapter. And I will update sooner too. I love you all. Thank you for your reviews!

-Elizabeth