A/N: Here is the next chapter, as said before I'm really going to make each chapter more descriptive than the next. So take note of that when you are reading this. Also, like in 'Dancing Pyreflies', I look for hits not reviews. Yes it is nice to have people comment, but not everybody takes the time to do so. So I look at hits not reviews. So far so good, 123 hits. Which is really awesome!


Chapter Two: Forgive and Forget

Reality is the beginning not the end,
Naked Alpha, not the hierophant Omega,
Of dense investiture, with luminous vassals.

-Wallace Stevens

Morning was fully upon Bevelle as the warm and glistening sun shinned in the clear skies. People were rushing and moving around as restaurants and shops opened their doors. The smell of gentle spices and baking bread wafted through the wide, polished-stone streets. Men and women were laughing as they went over the early morning news. They all whispered and grinned, "He did it again…I wonder what will happen next?"

It became a ritual in Bevelle to gossip in the morning, for one son of the Praetor of New Yevon striked again. Yes his brother accompanied him, but it was this one troublesome son that committed the dirty deed. At first many scorned and scowled at the boys, but now it was seen as a game that kept Bevelle in high sprits. Yes it was wrong, but then again Bevelle was a cruel city at heart. The wind carried the chatter further into Bevelle were a handsome man kneeled before a group of children.

Sparkling chocolate eyes traveled to each children's smiling face. Dove-white hair shifted slightly as the passing breeze brushed against them. "Now I have something for everyone, don't worry," the man laughed as the children held their hands toward him. In one fluid movement he dropped a small piece of wrapped candy in their small hands. They wrappers emitted bright and colorful colors. Some were a glossy green, a radiant yellow, and a lustrous red. The shinning faces of the young children turned even brighter as they squealed in excitement.

Jumping slightly in excitement they dashed off to compare candies and trade if wanted. Giving a soft 'hmm' in content, the man stood up and brushed the imaginary lint and dirt off of his attire. The Praetor of New Yevon didn't look a day old and still appeared to be the young twenty-year old man he once was. Rubbing the back of his neck he watched to guards dart toward him. They finally slid to a halt and gave a quick salute as they caught their breath. "What seems to be the problem, soldiers?" Baralai, Praetor of New Yevon, asked in a calm voice.

"Sir, it's your sons," a soldier breathed out in fear as he watched the praetor stiffen slightly. "We almost caught them, but they outsmarted us again," the soldier countinued. Baralai frowned and turned his back on the soldiers. Crossing his arms across his chest, he gave a questioning look to the beryl blue sky.

"Bring them to by study; I want three of the guards who witnessed this to be in my study in five minuets. I want both of them this time…they have some explaining to do," Baralai replied as he countinued to stare at the sky. He listened quietly as the guards hands rammed into their metal-plated armor on their chest. It produced a deep and baritone sound. The sound of hobnailed boots stomping on the ground accompanied it, soon it faded. First it was just tripping alarms…not it's this.

--

Two hunched figures sat down in velvety chairs as they countinued to stare at the floor. One was ashamed the other was angry at just being here. The study they sat in held a gloomy and mysterious look as the shadows flittered across the walls. Three guards stood behind the tow hunched figures. Their eyes narrowed into fine slits of rage and at the fact of being outsmarted by mere children.

"I'm ashamed of you two. Once again you deliberately go behind my back and performed this repulsive act…again! What were you two thinking? You are the sons of the Praetor of New Yevon, me. You will be my successors; you will be the next flame that guides Bevelle into eternal peace, safety, and harmony. Will you allow this to all go to waste?" Baralai started off as he leaned back in his chair. His voice was cool and relaxing as usual but his eyes told a different story. His eyes darted to the faces of his sons. They were the generic images of rebels and advocates.

I wonder where they got that from… Not me, of course.

"From what I heard from the soldiers in this room is that you flipped an alarm. While running off Koruko spotted a young female civilian and she became the subject to unwanted sexual activity. That is when the soldiers surrounded you and you two managed to escape. After that, you suddenly seemed to disappear off the map. Care to explain about the alarm first?" Baralai countinued as he folded his hands on the desk, as the guards nodded in agreement.

They teens were silent as they glared at the ground. The guards growled in slight anger as they refused to answer. "Alright then…what about you Koruko? What made you do this? Do you know the charges that you will have to face?" Baralai replied to the silence in a cold voice.

"You think that I'm the one that is so repulsive, father? What about you! What about Trema's son or this Seymour? Is that how you treat all of your clients, praetor!" Koruko growled as he raised his head to meet his father's eyes. Shock showed in his eyes but his body was still composed. Tatchi elbowed his brother in exasperation for telling what they know.

"Anyway…it wasn't 'unwanted sexual activity'. She wanted it and she was asking for it. I, being the great person I am, gave her what she yearned for. Is that such a crime?" Koruko grinned slyly as he recalled the girl's dazed and blissful facial expressions. Baralai sighed heavily and motioned for the guards to leave at once. This was all too much for a morning.

After the soldiers filled out, Baralai stood up and walked toward his sons. "What do you know about Trema's son and Seymour?" he asked softly. They know about Seymour…did they see that sphere. When he…well…no that's impossible. That sphere is lost; even I don't know where it is.

Tatchi shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he found himself tied to horrible problem. Groaning softly he licked his dry lips and spoke before his furious brother could, "A lot. We now know how you became the Praetor of New Yevon. Why did you do it father? That person in the sphere was not you. I never saw you so angry and furious before…let alone malevolent. For Seymour…we just know that he was someone important to you."

Baralai retreated slightly at those words. They seemed to sting and slash at him, as he allowed his son's words to sink in. Eyes now turned downward, Baralai sighed softly as memories trickled back to reality. "I...was – it doesn't matter now. That was the past and it will always be the past. I would be worried more on you than me. For I know that you will probably be sent to prison and Tatchi you will probably suffer the same fate," Baralai growled as he glared at his sons. This is all wrong, this wasn't supposed to happen. I'm supposed to admire my sons from their heroic deeds and so forth. Dammit Rikku…they got this from you.

"Dad…I've been seducing, tempting, enticing, and captivating women for the past three years. This is just the first time that I got a public audience, which means you would know. Like I said before, she was asking for it," Koruko sniggered as he leaned back against his own chair. He caught his father's death-glare but he merely shrugged it off with a charming and innocent smile.

Shaking his head in disgust, he pointed to the door and watched his two sons walk off. When the door closed behind them, Baralai allowed himself to sink back in his chair. "They know about Trema's son…but at least they don't know about Seymour," he whispered as he touched a request paper before him with interest. The paper read:

To: The Praetor of New Yevon

From: The Machina Fraction

The Machina Fraction would like to request permission to excavate in the Macalania Woods. The woods are now desolate and empty. All life and fiends have not been reported to be still wandering about for the past seventeen years. It would be highly appreciated if you would grant us this permission, seeing that Bevelle is next to the ruins.

Sincerely,

Gippal, Leader of the Machina Fraction

Baralai laughed softly as he picked up a lone pen that rested on his desk. In blue ink he wrote his answer and a few polite comments. Smiling with content at his handiwork, he placed the request to the side with the rest of the answered ones. "They say time changes people. I'll like to differ on this one," he whispered as he placed another request before him. The thought of Seymour, Trema's son, Koruko, and Tatchi seemed to vanish as his mind began to become consumed by his work.

--

The air was saturated with prayers and dreams as night began to stroll across the sky. The citizens left the temples, shops, restaurants, ect. to head home. A few lingered for late night drinks, but Bevelle was slowly shutting its sleep eyes. Two crouched figures stared at the long path before them. The tiles were now a deep hue of blue and red as the sunlight left them in the darkness of night. Dark shapes patrolled the path that was surrounded, by just its sides, with silent water. A lift hovered quietly above the water, but with one wrong move and it could roar with life.

"I hate this place…we'll never leave this place with those guards around. We're like rats, caged up and angry," a voice whispered into the air as the wind howled a mournful tune. "Got any plans on how to get out, Tatchi? Do remember that if we don't scram now we are going to live in a nice, murky cell," the voice added bitterly.

Tatchi hummed softly to himself as he moved himself into a cross-legged position. Elbow resting on his thigh, he allowed his hand to hold his head up. "I have an idea…but it's risky. Care to try?" the teen finally answered as he turned his head to look at his impatient brother. Nodding in a jerking fashion, Koruko agreed to try the plan out.

"What do we have to lose?"

"Good point. Alright…I'll distract the guards. You need to hug the right side and run for your life. I'll meet you soon after. Also you need to hold my clothes," Tatchi whispered back as he caught the eager look in his brother's eyes. Koruko blinked a few times in slight confusion at the last statement. He watched in utter confusion and curiosity as his sibling began to take off his formal attire.

"Tatchi…why do I need all of your clothes?"

Finally starched naked and shivering in the freezing nigh air, he handed Koruko his clothes. "Don't loose anything; also that sphere we found is in my pant's pocket. Keep it safe and run fast," Tatchi grumbled as he walked over to the beginning of the path but by the water. "You're holding my clothes because I don't want them wet," he added. Quietly slipping in, Koruko watched his brother become masked by the ebony-colored water.

"Showoff…probably is going to flash the guards," Koruko murmured in the dark.

The water rippled slightly as steam began to travel across the water. The guards were immediately captivated by this action. Koruko nodded and took this as his chance to run. All the guards were massed on the left side as a deep rumbling sound filled the quiet air. Blood-red streaks jutted out of the water and for a moment it reminded Koruko of twilight fading away. He was struck with awe but continued to run forward. I'm almost there…come on Tatchi, keep it coming.

It was if the last light of day was tinting the earth and air with its heavenly hue. Fire flickered and swayed from the water. It appeared to be the sun's furious rays split in half into hundred of bright fingers that speckle the air. The guards began to panic as the flames grew up to a monstrous size. A soft siren echoed through Bevelle as the fire began to die down into a lazy steam. Koruko was already out of Bevelle, but he felt cold and defeated. Where was Tatchi?

Crouched behind a tree, he watched two guards dash from the forest. They failed to see him or hear his heavy breathing. Thanking the fayth that watches over Bevelle, he waited nervously for his brother. Minuets passed by and still no sign of his clever sibling. "You better not be dead…" he murmured. The sound of heavy footsteps and soft groans filled the already wailing air. Bevelle was in a rude awakening as the guards struggled to find a solution or an explanation to this phenomenon.

A blackened body crawled to his brother and gave him weak smile. "We did it," he whispered as his body held an ashy appearance. Koruko immediately stared at his brother in shock, he was burned all over. His skin was ripped and shredded raw and revealed pale pink tissues. His arm was bleeding slightly where his muscles appeared to have been burned into shreds. His once dove-white hair was now frayed and out of place.

"Tatchi…look at you! You look like your dead!" Koruko whispered in shock as he watched before his eyes a piece of skin float to the ground. "Are you crazy!" he added as he watched Tatchi struggle to sit down. After a few painful tries, he managed to. Lifting his shaking hand he placed it over his other hand. Closing his eyes he used the remaining energy in his body to wash his burned body with a water spell.

"You are such a primitive virgin," Tatchi replied as he felt his legs become numb with pain. Koruko watched in horror as his brother's eyes rolled back into his head as his cleaned body fell on him. Biting his lower lip he watched the steam travel lazily upward to the night sky. The stars blinked on the dark canvas as his brother's body matched its pale state. Looking at his brother's face, he placed a rough hand on Tatchi's face. His left cheek was unscathed but his right side was ripped and chewed apart. Koruko swore that he could see the white hint of a jaw bone.

Finally his brother's comment sunk into his mind. Eyes wide with fury, he glared at his collapsed and passed out brother. "Primitive virgin… I'm a primitive virgin! What? I slept with more woman than you can possible imagine!" Koruko hissed as he frowned in disappointment and in annoyance.

Whispering the spell for the healing of body tissues, he realized that he was a complete disgrace when it came to spells. Ignoring the negative thought, he released the spell and watched the limped and dangling tissues slowly mesh together as one. Running a finger across the healed face, he found the skin to be smooth and perfect once more. He noticed his hand was splattered with droplets of warm, crimson blood. It disgustingly reminded him of rain and how it patters on your body. Leaving small droplets of water on your face and hands, the water leaves you cold and numb. Your thoughts turn into mush as the weather seems to take over your mind and your shivering body.

Smiling weakly in his success, he began to heal his brother's neck, torso, arms, and legs. Only one part was left to fully heal. Swallowing the lump in his throat he slowly moved his hand toward his brother's pelvis. The whole area was skinned alive by the hungry flames and left it a bright pink that threatened to bleed like a flower bud waiting to bloom. Cursing softly as he was forced to touch the area to heal it, he took a deep breath and prepared for the impossible.

--

A/N:

Well that is that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter but as said before, the beginning chapters aren't so hot. I just needed a starting so I can countinue on. The next chapter is where I really get working. Already I'm writing the rough draft. So if you have any comments please review if not...well keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter! Thanks and much love to all.