Summary: The story of Auron -- warrior monk, guardian, legend -- and the family he left behind. Auron/OC, Paine/Baralai. Spoilers for FFX.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! Thanks especially to darkcyan, whose kind words about my Paine story helped me build up the nerve to start posting this one. I do have every intention of going on with it, especially as I have significant portions of later chapters already written, including what I think is going to be the end. Now I just have to get there...

Disclaimer: Characters, settings, and concepts are copyright Squaresoft/Square Enix. If you recognize it, I don't own it. Original characters, however, are mine.

Leaving Home

It took us the rest of the day to cross the Moonflow and walk through the forest to Guadosalam. I had dispatched a few fiends along the way -- mostly large bugs and lizards, nothing too challenging. One of the wasps poisoned me with its sting, but Father Braska healed my wounds almost before I noticed them. It was a quiet journey, except for the sounds of the woods.

We spent the night in the Guadosalam Inn. The innkeeper gave Father Shon a room of his own, while Braska was asked to share with me. I sat on the bed and pulled out the cold dinner I had made of wedding feast leftovers -- a sandwich of meat and cheese, some vegetables. Braska did the same, and we ate in quiet companionship. As we finished, I found myself feeling rather shy. What did I have to say to this young priest?

He dusted the breadcrumbs from his fingers, then looked at me with a friendly smile. "Would you like a drink?" he asked. I nodded, so he knelt down over his pack, rummaging through until he found a jug. He pulled it out, and indicated that I should give him my traveling goblet. I did so, and he filled it with a clear liquid. I took a swig, promptly choking as the potent beverage burned my throat.

"What is that?" I sputtered, forgetting my manners in the moment of discomfort.

"Sake," he replied. "It's a kind of wine, made from rice. More of a sipping beverage than one to quaff, especially if you're not used to it. I'm sorry, I should have warned you."

I took a generous gulp from my water skin, both to clear my mouth and to give me time to regain my composure. "It's all right, Father," I said.

He smiled. "Please, just call me Braska. I understand if you want to stand on ceremony with Father Shon, but there's no need for it here."

I considered this. Dix had impressed upon me that I should keep my relationships with priests and superior officers strictly formal, in order to earn their respect. But would it be better to honor Braska's request? Finally, I nodded. "As you wish," I said.

He took a small drink of the wine, then settled back on his bed, his back resting against the wall. "So, Auron, tell me about yourself," he said.

"I fear there's not much to tell," I said, sipping my own cup gingerly. "I've lived all my life in Tzeki Village with my father and twin sister."

"Your mother?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Killed by Sin. I was only two, so I barely remember her."

Braska closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "Too common a story in Spira. I didn't know either of my parents at all; they died before I was a year old. I was raised by the temple in Djose. Until I married, Shon was the closest thing I had to family."

Silence fell for a moment as we both lost ourselves in unhappy thoughts.

Eventually, I heard Braska shake himself and straighten his head as he opened his eyes again. "Regardless, we are here now. And High Summoner Pala has brought us a Calm; we should enjoy it while it lasts. What was life like in your village?"

Slowly, in bits and pieces, he drew me out. I found myself telling him about my friends and neighbors in the village, including the retired warrior monk who taught me in the ways of Yevon along with basic fighting skills and inspired me to follow in his footsteps. I talked about Relle, and growing up with Kera and Xan, and Dix's grim determination that I would have a better life than his.

"Not that I don't want to be a warrior monk," I was quick to add then. "It is a sacred duty to defend Spira and the disciples of Yevon, and I feel that I've been called to it. And I know I can be a good fighter, maybe even a good leader. I'm just as ambitious for myself as Father is for me. But Father doesn't understand that I need Relle, too." I paused, thoughtful, and sipped my sake. It filled my stomach, warm and comforting. "Is Father Shon right? Will I need to chose between love and ambition?"

Braska looked into the distance for a time. Then he replied. "There is some truth in what Shon says. Marriage can be an important means of promotion in Bevelle. But if you're careful, you should be able to juggle it." He chuckled without mirth. "Not that I'm really the one to ask."

That raised my curiosity, but I still felt too shy to ask what he meant outright. There was no need, though -- he saw the question in my eyes, and answered it voluntarily.

"Oh, I know a little something about conflicts between love and career." He drained his cup and refilled it, then looked straight at me. "I rose quickly through the priesthood, expected to get a good position in one of the temples, even thought about becoming a summoner. Then I married an Al Bhed, and everything changed."

I nearly spilled my drink.

He snorted, reading the shock that I couldn't keep from my face. "I know what you're thinking. A priest, married to a machina-using heathen? They're not like that, not really, but I don't expect you to understand." He leaned back against the wall again, drawing up his legs and crossing them. "Last year, I arranged a meeting with their leader, Cid, after learning their language, and I spent some time in their homeland. I wanted to bridge some of the distance between them and Yevon, to keep war from raging between us again. While there, I met Tessa, Cid's sister. We fell in love, and she came back with me to Bevelle. Her brother hasn't spoken to her since, and my career advancement prospects dried up rather quickly." He glanced at the celing. "So much for mutual understanding. I can't even serve in St. Bevelle anymore. I split my time between my family in the city and working in Djose, where Shon has taken me in again."

I sat quietly, considering Braska's story. "Was it worth it?" I asked him.

His mouth quirked up at the left corner, almost but not quite a smile. "For me? Yes. I knew what I was risking when I chose my wife, and I was willing. So was she. Tess just had a baby, and I wouldn't trade the two of them for anything in the world. But is it easy? No." His expression became even more serious, and he leaned toward me, long hair falling forward over his shoulders. "Auron. For your sake, I hope that you'll never need to chose between Arelle and your career. But if that time comes, be sure you think long and hard. Because, however you choose, you'll feel regret sometimes. Make absolutely certain you can bear that regret without bitterness. You don't want to resent the woman, or the job, that you love."

I dipped my head in understanding. Then I asked him, "A baby? Is it a son or a daughter?"

"A little girl," he said, his face and voice softening at the thought. "I named her Yuna."

I raised my eyebrows. "Yuna? As in--"

He nodded. "Maybe she can be the summoner that I never was."

Lissira entered her quarters, her father's blade slung over her right shoulder. She was going to have to find a better way to carry it eventually -- less than a day, and it was already getting heavy. It had come with a scabbard, but the straps would have to be taken in considerably to fit around her back and shoulders. Paine had warned her that she wasn't going to be allowed to use the sword for training ("It's a hell of a weapon," she'd said, "but its enhancements are way too powerful for you, never mind whoever you'll be dueling in class. I'll get you something more basic from the armory for now"), but she would be able to keep it among her personal effects.

Her roommate, Maura, was lying on her back, blonde curls scattered over her pillow as she batted a blitzball in the air. She sat up when Liss entered the room, catching the ball and rolling it under the bed in a single fluid motion. "Hey Liss," she said. "How'd it go?" Liss had told Maura about her parentage as they swapped life stories last night; her new friend had been surprised, but accepted the story at face value.

"Really well," said Liss. "I'm not completely convinced that Lady Yuna or Sir Tidus believed me, but Captain Paine did." She plopped down on her own cot and laid the sword beside her. "I'm going to have dinner with her tonight."

Maura raised her eyebrows. "So having famous family has its benefits. No dining hall slop for you!"

Liss felt her cheeks redden slightly. "It's not like that. The Captain is family, too."

"Like I said," Maura replied, grinning, "the advantages of relatives in high places. You'll have to tell me all about it. But first, your orientation schedule." She tossed Liss a sphere. "Looks like they're keeping us pretty busy."

Liss pressed the catch that would play the sphere, and eagerly took in the list of classes that would dominate her life in the coming months.

Later that afternoon, Paine walked up her house. She could have had much grander quarters in the city, but the cottage perched at the edge of the cliff overlooking Luca was perfect for her. She'd always loved being in high places, so this view of the city and ocean was ideal. Every morning and evening, she stood on the front porch and took it all in -- the blitzball stadium ringed by boat and airship docks, the sphere theater, the rows of apartment buildings, the new Ruling Council chambers rising up to the north. And it was handy to be situated so close to the Academy. She opened the door and was met by the smell of something delicious. Wandering into the kitchen, she walked up to her husband and put her arms around him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Mmm."

Baralai, member of the Spira Ruling Council representing Bevelle, former leader of New Yevon, and amateur chef, stopped tending to his pot and turned around, placing his hands on Paine's waist. "You like my stew?" he asked, smiling into his wife's dark red eyes.

"That too," she replied. He leaned forward for a quick kiss. "Is there enough for an extra person?"

He looked back at the meal he'd been stirring. "Shouldn't be a problem. Who did you invite? Can you help me with the bread?"

Paine stepped out of his arms and walked over to the oven to pull out the bread, then grabbed a knife. "Well. You know we met the new recruits today?" She glanced over to Baralai, who had returned to his cooking, and he nodded. Moving to the table, her back to him, she started to slice the loaf. "It turns out that one of them is my cousin, a cousin I didn't even know existed. Guess who her father was?"

She heard a clatter behind her and turned around. Baralai had knocked down a pot lid and was pointing a wooden spoon at her. Stew dripped off the end, but he didn't seem to notice. "Get out!" he said. "Sir Auron had a kid? And nobody ever knew? Damn!"

Paine grinned, laying down the knife. "That's a good approximation of the general reaction so far. I called in Tidus and Yuna, and we questioned her. I'm almost positive that she's legit."

"How can you know?"

"For sure? We can't. But the evidence is strong. For one thing, she's carrying his sword. Yuna and Tidus both recognized it, and it's highly decorated, very distinctive. The story of where she got it checks out. She knew that I'm her cousin. Her mother was my uncle's childhood sweetheart. Now, she could have found the sword, and done some sneaky research into Auron's background, or someone else could have done it and fed her the information. But the kicker, really, is that she looks like him. Well, to me she looks like Mom. A lot like her. Except she's tall."

Baralai nodded thoughtfully. "That's pretty convincing." He glanced down and realized that he still held the spoon. After tossing it back in the pot, he walked over to Paine and lightly touched her arm, his brown eyes filled with concern. "You okay? It can't be easy, someone showing up with your mother's face like that."

"I..." Paine looked out the window to gather her thoughts, then back at Baralai. "You know, I hadn't really thought about it that way. Mom's been gone for so long, I don't think about her much any more. Dad either. But seeing Liss does kind of bring it all back. In a good way, though. I loved my parents, and I'm actually glad to be reminded of them. And Uncle Auron... well, you know I never knew him very well, but I remember worshipping the ground he walked on. He was my idol as a kid. So it makes me really happy that something of him lives on."

"Then I'm glad that you found her. And that you've invited her to dinner -- it's always hard to be away from home for the first time." Baralai gently kissed Paine's cheek, then went to clean the stew off the floor.

Bevelle.

Three days later, I stood on the Highbridge, looking at the entrance to the city in the late morning light, and thought about my first shoopuff ride. We were going to Guadosalam to see my mother on the Farplane. I knew about shoopuffs, of course; I'd seen them crossing the river in the distance all my life. But that was rather different from being confronted with one face to face. My four-year-old self felt completely dwarfed by the huge beast, and I'd burst into tears.

There were no tears this time, but I still felt tiny and insignificant next to this enormous building and the city behind it, and I froze. All Father's stories hadn't prepared me for the sheer size of the place. The priests continued onward, a few moments passing before they noticed I wasn't with them. Father Shon stopped to wait, while Braska returned and stood next to me, his presence reassuring.

"Big, isn't it?" he said. "Especially when all you've ever known is a fishing village."

I nodded, not trusting my voice to respond.

"I felt the same way the first time I saw it. Don't worry. You'll come to feel like you belong here before long. For now, just take a deep breath and get ready to fake it."

I followed his advice and immediately felt better, then turned to him. "Let's go," I said.

He clasped my shoulder for a moment. Then we walked up to the entrance of the city that would be my home for the next several years.