"Well, hello again," he said in a smooth voice. His cold blue eyes studied me intently in a way that sent chills down my spine. The waitress glanced back and forth between us, confused. I grabbed the plate with a quick "Thank you" and a half-hearted smile and made my way back to my table.

I had barely set our food down when I felt a hand on my arm. Lobax stood behind me with a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. "Could I have a moment with you? Alone?" He looked pointedly at Lana. I shot a look of apprehension towards her, and she raised her eyebrows questioningly. I shrugged. I guess it can't hurt. It's not like anything's going to happen with all these people around. I leaned over the table and yelled "I'll be right back!", then allowed Lobax to lead me away from the crush of the crowd and out the door.

He didn't say anything for the first few moments. He still hadn't released my arm, and I began to feel that this had been a bad idea. I shuffled my feet, trying to escape that piercing gaze when he suddenly spoke.

"I'm afraid I may have made a poor impression at our first meeting. Please forgive me for my actions. It was terribly rude of me to act so in the presence of a beautiful young woman such as you, and I apologize a thousand times."

I shrugged uncomfortably. "It was nothing."

He moved closer, lightly rubbing my arm with his thumb and I cringed inside. I tried to pull away and his grip tightened. "But it was, and I was wrong to behave in a manner below my station." He smirked as I tugged harder. I glanced around us, but everyone was either oblivious to our private struggle or in too much of a hurry to care. I desperately pleaded inside for Lana to show up, as though I could somehow mentally summon her.

"I don't know what's going on between you and Auron, but I don't want any part of it. Please," I pleaded, trying to twist my arm free, "just let me go." I felt the bitter taste of fear creep into my throat and I blinked back tears. I had never been afraid of anyone as an adult, but I suddenly realized that Lobax was a potential enemy who was way out of my league.

He tilted his head in a thoughtful manner and my gut dropped. For a split second I saw my father's face; the way he would look at me like a cat watches a cornered mouse. Something swelled in my chest and without thinking, I lunged at that face.

I was crazed with anger, swinging at him with one fist, then both as I finally wrenched my arm free. I heard him laughing as I swung, swatting me away like a fly. A few blows landed, and after one particularly solid one, he punched me hard in the stomach. I tumbled back, landing heavily on the sidewalk.

"You're a spirited one, aren't you?" he said with a chuckle. My face burned with rage as I pushed myself to my feet and stood with my hands on my knees, trying to catch my breath. A few patrons had heard the commotion and came outside, though none made a move to stop either of us. I glared at Lobax with hate in my eyes, breathing heavily.

"What's the matter?" he asked tauntingly. "Afraid I'm too much man for you to handle? Or maybe you prefer lowlifes like Auron. He always did like them young."

Even later I wasn't sure what had happened. My world faded until all I could see was those mocking lips and the blue eyes above them. My heart thudded in my ears and without warning I snapped, swinging hard. This time Lobax was unprepared and my fist connected with his face. Blood gushed from his busted nose and lip. The world returned in a rush and I could hear people shouting indistinguishably.

He wiped his nose with the back of his hand and stared at the streak of crimson in disbelief. When he raised his eyes to mine again, they were filled with a cold rage. He reached out his un-bloodied hand and began to chant. Blue light flickered in his open palm, then grew to a swirling mass, dancing madly. I stood frozen and bewildered as the crowd gasped and several people fled inside.

With a sudden movement he flung his arm at me. Lightening followed the mass from his fingertips until it slammed into me. My head buzzed as I flew through the air, cool pain rushing through my body. I heard someone scream and realized it was me. I landed in a heap in the middle of the street, groaning in agony. My head spun and my chest heaved. I could hear people yelling, but everything sounded distant, as though they were speaking underwater. The pain was like nothing I had ever felt, piercing and insistent, sucking the very life from me.

"Lemme through, LET ME THROUGH!" Abruptly Lana was at my side, gently turning me over. I gazed up at her through slitted eyelids and tried to speak. She blurred in and out of focus, spinning madly and I swallowed hard as nausea rose in my throat. "Oh dear Yevon. Don't move," she placed a hand on my shoulder when I tried to sit up. "Someone help me, please!" she yelled frantically. Her face swayed back and forth as she leaned over me; then my world faded to black.

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I was cold. The darkness pressed against me like an icy blanket. I realized I couldn't breathe and panicked, struggling to suck in precious oxygen. I felt a large, strong hand on my shoulder and warm air flooded my body in a rush.

"Is she going to be okay?" a female that I thought might be Lana asked anxiously.

"I don't know," an unfamiliar male voice answered. "Right now it's pretty much touch-and-go. I've done all I can. The rest is up to her." He removed his hand. A soft glow enveloped my body and I drifted back to sleep.

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The room was hazy. Someone moved around me, and as I stirred, I felt a cool rag pressed to my forehead. I pried my eyes open and saw Cylie bending over me.

"Cylie…wha…" I tried to form words, but my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.

"Shhh, don't try to talk. You've been badly injured. Lie still and go back to sleep."

The room faded as I lost consciousness.

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"A Thundaga spell! He had no right!" Auron's voice was angry, angrier than I'd ever heard. I opened my eyes a bit and watched foggily as he paced at the foot of the bed. "I can't believe she would attack him unprovoked! He had to have said something to anger her, Tiorak; you know how Lobax is. He would say or do almost anything, no matter how petty, if he thought it would help his ridiculous cause."

"Auron, I realize this. You don't have to convince me." Tiorak came into my line of sight. "You know how the Council of Yevon is. They take these things very seriously, and they have at least twenty witnesses that say they saw her attack him first, before he struck her."

"Even if that is the case, a broken nose does not warrant such a repercussion. He's a dark mage, for Yevon's sake! She had no chance of defense against that kind of magic!" He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "When is the trial?" he asked softly.

"Two weeks, if she's healed enough to attend. Auron, you're going to blame this on yourself again, aren't you?"

"She was in my care, she's my ward. I'm responsible for her, whether I wanted to be or not. I should have told her, warned her somehow. I…I should have told her the truth."

"Auron, you couldn't have known. Look, once she can tell her story, it'll clear things up."

Auron laughed derisively. "Of course it will! They're Yevon's finest! She'll just waltz right in and everything will be great!" His voice rose angrily. I moved my head slightly to follow him as he leapt to his feet and began pacing again, only to have a sharp, burning pain rush up my spine. I gasped reflexively and Tiorak glanced at me.

"Auron, you're waking her up!" he hissed. Both men instantly quieted and slipped out the door, closing it behind them with a soft click.

I lay in the dark for a few moments thinking about what I had overheard. I wanted to ask what was going on, but my eyes were getting heavy again. I closed them, promising myself I'd ask about it as soon as I woke up. The night closed in on me as I drifted off.

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The room was dark, but bright sunlight leaked in around the heavy curtains, sending shadows dancing across the bed. Bed? I looked around, confused. A closet was to my right, with a beautifully finished mahogany dresser on the wall closest to the foot of the bed. I'm in Auron's room, I suddenly realized. The covers were thicker than I would have expected, and even though the room was sparsely furnished, the pieces in it were luxuriant. I smirked to myself as I struggled to sit up. Hmm, not quite such a tough guy after all, huh?

I pushed the covers off, cringing at a sudden ache in my arms, and noticed I was wearing what looked like an oversized cotton tank-top. I stared at it in horror and prayed fervently that Cylie or Lana had been the one to change me. I slid off the bed and painfully stood to my feet, looking around frantically for my clothes. After searching for a couple minutes, I figured I would have to go to my closet and risk meeting Auron. It seemed better than hiding in someone else's room with entirely-too-thin-to-be-decent attire.

I eased the door open a crack and peered out. The living room seemed empty from the little slot of vision I had, and after hesitating a few seconds to listen, I opened it farther and slipped out. I slunk over to my closet and was raiding it as fast as my stiff hands would let me when I heard the sliding door open. I gasped, and grabbing the closest article of clothing I could find, clutched it to my body.

"You're up!" Cylie exclaimed happily.

I sighed with relief and turned back around to pick out an outfit. She sat an empty laundry basket by the door and rushed over to me.

"How do you feel? Are you dizzy at all? Do you have a fever?" She felt my forehead. "Are you hurting anywhere? Can you feel your fingers and toes? Are you…"

"Cylie, I'm fine." I smiled slightly. "I'm just trying to get some real clothes on. Oh, um, speaking of…" I gestured sheepishly at my makeshift gown.

"Oh yes, Lana and I changed you. Your outfit was ruined, I'm afraid. Several pieces of metal were actually fused to your body. We had to cut your pants off, and Reizo said it would be better if you had something light that wouldn't weigh too heavily on your burns."

I glanced down and noticed for the first time large gauze bandages covering areas on my torso, arms, and legs. I felt my face hesitantly. "Was I…"

She hesitated a fraction of a second before saying, "Your face is fine. There is a cut on your cheek – I think that was from landing on a stone – but that should be the only thing that scars. I won't lie, though, it is pretty bruised and scraped up."

I sighed and started to pull on a pair of pants. I grunted as a burn stung sharply, and Cylie grabbed my hand. "Here, let me help you." She gently eased the pants up my legs, making sure they didn't snag bandages, then pulled the gown off over my head.

"Who's Reizo? I asked as she stretched the neck of my shirt so it would slide over my face.

"He's a white mage training to become a summoner. He saved your life. A couple of healers saw you and said there was nothing they could do, but he said he'd give it a try. And here you are." She gave me a gentle squeeze.

The front door opened and we turned as Auron and Tiorak walked in. They looked startled for a moment, then Tiorak's face broke into a huge grin. I breathed a silent thanks that I was clothed and took a few painful steps toward him.

"No, no, you're fine," he said hastily. "Sit down. This calls for a celebration, anyhow. Auron, you have a cask, of course."

Auron nodded simply and headed to the kitchen while Cylie and Tiorak eased me onto the couch. "How bad was it?" I couldn't help but ask.

"It was bad," Tiorak said honestly, "but you had a good chance of making it. It just took a lot of time."

"Speaking of, how long was I…well, out of it?"

"You were mostly unconscious for about a week, then you started showing signs of awareness. It's been nearly three weeks since…the incident."

I accepted a small cup of sake and sipped at it cautiously. Auron passed the others around and stood slightly off to the side as the couple updated me on all that had happened. Watching him stare out the window tickled something at the back of my brain. I sat my cup down on the coffee table and leaned forward slightly.

"I overheard a conversation you and Auron were having. Is it true they're going to have a trial?"

Tiorak shot a look at Auron. They seemed to be arguing with their eyes for a few seconds, then Auron sighed. "Yes," he stated. He looked uncomfortable, though I wasn't sure whether it was because of the topic, or because I had overheard a private conversation.

"What happened?" Cylie burst in. "They're saying that you lost it and attacked Lobax, and that he was merely defending himself. Lobax is livid with rage and says that you tried to kill him. Everyone in the warrior community is taking sides."

Wow, you guys have a community? I wanted to say sarcastically, but I bit my tongue. Instead I sat up sharply, my wounds twinging a protest. "Look, I was at that place with Lana. I went to get our drinks and Lobax was sitting there. I accidentally bumped into him, he asked to talk to me. We went outside to talk because of the noise, and the next thing I know, he's coming on to me and telling me all this shit about Auron."

"Like what?" she asked.

"I don't know, stuff about him liking them young and stuff. Stupid stuff. So then he grabs my arm and won't let go. I don't know, I guess I did kinda snap, but the point is, he attacked me first."

"Why didn't you take Lana with you?" Tiorak asked.

"It was broad daylight!" I was getting angry. "How was I supposed to know he'd jump me! I have no idea what's going on here, and the only hints I get are from a psycho warrior who shoots lightening bolts, everyone else who consistently tells me to ask Auron, and the man himself, who incidentally this is all about, who tells me to keep my big nose out of it." I spat at Auron, who looked up at his name and returned my glare levelly.

Cylie placed a calming hand on my arm but I shrugged it off. "I have to pee," I stated bluntly.

"There's something you should know," she started to say, but I shoved myself off of the couch. My burns screamed in agony as I made my way to the bathroom and slammed the door behind me.

I gave the faucet handle an angry twist and stood at the sink watching the water pour down the drain. My body shuddered as I tried to block out the throbbing pain. Shakily, I reached out a hand and captured the clear fluid in my trembling palm, then brought it to my face. I gasped as water hit my scrapes and cuts, but swept it up over my forehead into my hair, eyes closed and teeth bared. I opened my eyes to stare my reflection down and froze.

Ugly bruises were scattered across my face, scabbing scrapes along my cheekbones and forehead. A long, angular cut danced across my cheek, but what caught my attention was my hair. I had loved the rich ash color. It complimented my amber eyes, and I would never have dreamed of dyeing it. Until now.

Whether a reaction to the lightening or the trauma that followed, my hair was now a light silver. All trace of brown was gone. I tugged at it frantically, digging at the roots, hoping to find it was temporary, but it was all the same odd color.

With a furious noise, I wrenched open the door and strode over to Auron. "This is your fault!" I shouted as he stood looking at me stoically. "I had nothing to do with this! NOTHING! I never asked to come here, and I certainly never asked to be a part of your life!" I went to strike him, but his hands whipped out and grabbed my wrists, holding them firmly, never taking his eye off my face.

With a growl, I jerked my arms free and stepped back. "You owe me an explanation, Auron," I said in a soft voice that shook with rage. "At least you can give me that much."

His face tightened as he watched me silently, and for a second I thought he would leave. Then he sighed heavily and closed his eye. "You're right," he stated simply. "You should know what happened."

I was caught off guard by his resignation and my anger cooled slightly. He really does blame himself, I thought wonderingly as he motioned me to sit on the couch again. Tiorak and Cylie had been quiet during the whole exchange, watching it all unfold. They shifted to make room for me as Auron stood before us like a reluctant speaker.

"It started ten years ago…"

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"Auron!"

The young warrior turned at his name and stood waiting for Kotomo to catch up. His face was bright with excitement and a huge grin split it in half. "Hey, didja hear? A group of us are going into the village. Wanna come?"

Auron shook his head. The other warrior groaned and pleaded, "Aw, come on. I've never seen you go out or do anything other than read or practice on your free days. Like we don't get enough as it is! Live a little, enjoy yourself. You're too serious. Let us show you how to have a good time."

Auron shrugged. "I know how to have a good time. I simply find different things entertaining than you do."

Kotomo snorted. "Like what? The stack of philosophy books in your tent? We're young warriors, Auron. The world is ours. I bet you don't even notice the girls that drool over you when we're on our patrols. Most the guys in our company would give anything to have what you have, and you don't even appreciate it."

"What I have?" Auron queried in a bewildered tone.

"Exactly. You're oblivious to everything but your katas and your books. Oh, come on," he grabbed the man's arm as he shrugged again and started to walk away. "Just one time? It won't kill you, and I promise your books will be here to welcome you when you get back."

"You're asking Auron to be a man instead of hiding in his tent? What a preposterous concept!"

"Shove it, Nihari." Kotomo glowered at the blond warrior. "Go torture little children with your presence, or whatever it is you do in your spare time."

Nihari laughed derisively. "It's a good thing he has you around to defend him, Kotomo. Why, you two make the sweetest couple I think I've ever seen. Reminds me of my grandparents." The group of warriors around him laughed and made rude gestures at the two as he grinned at his own cleverness.

Kotomo's face grew nearly as red as his hair. He started towards the smirking man and Auron placed a strong hand on his shoulder. "Kotomo, I think I will join you tonight," he said with a sideways look at the antagonists.

Kotomo hesitated for a moment, then growled deep in his chest. "You're not worth it anyway, Nihari. Just because your father is a high priest doesn't make you any better than common scum. Let's go, Auron." He spun on his heels and strode away.

"Don't forget to tuck each other in for the night!" Nihari called to their retreating backs.

Loud guffaws chased them as they headed towards the camp. Kotomo's arms bulged as he clenched his hands into tight fists. "Dammit, Auron, sometimes I just wanna teach that pompous little prick a lesson he'll never forget!" he suddenly burst out.

"And where would that get you?" the young man asked with a raised brow.

"Probably suspension, but I don't know if I always care! He's such an asshole! Going around like he's Yevon's gift to women, kissing up to our superiors; if only they knew about the incident in Guadosalem. And that time in Luka, too. It's amazing how much he changes when there aren't any officers around!"

"Getting angry at his childish antics isn't going to solve anything," Auron stated.

Kotomo shrugged defensively. "I know, I know, 'Control your emotions or they will control you.' But it's not the same for you, Auron. He harasses you as much as anyone, and yet his words always seem to roll off. Maybe if I could be like that, I'd feel differently, but I'll never be you."

"Hey, hey, look who it is! Can this be the reclusive monk? Is he actually leaving his sacred books behind and joining us?"

"Hello, Minaku. Yes, it looks like I'll be joining you this evening."

"Whoa, you actually talked him into it, Kotomo? Way to go!" The small group of warriors crowded around the two. "Just wait, Auron. We'll show you the time of your life. The best sake, the best music and dancing. Women will look at you with adoration in their eyes, tripping over each other to fulfill your every request."

The brown-haired young man took on a falsetto voice. "Oh, Auron, let me get you some more to drink! Oh, Auron, tell me again how you fought off twenty fiends by yourself with your bare hands! Oh, Auron, come to bed and make passionate love to me! Oooh, Auron!"

The men roared with laughter and even Auron allowed a small chuckle at his own expense, shaking his head at their foolishness. They clapped his shoulder heartily and headed off in a group to the village near by. Dusk was approaching by the time the young men reached the village square. They led Auron down several alleyways before reaching an extensive building that shone brightly in the dim light. Loud music and raucous laughter originated from the slightly open windows.

As the group stepped through the doorway, the noise hit Auron full force. He winced slightly, hesitating before allowing himself to be drug into the large room. His friends ushered him to a corner table and pushed him into a chair. "Hey, you there, get this fine young warrior a mug!" Minaku yelled to a serving girl. She nodded slightly, studying Auron for a moment before darting off into the back.

Auron shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He felt entirely out of place in places like these, but he had never been able to explain to any of the other men. Even as a boy, while he was just as active as any of the children he knew, he had always been a bit reclusive. He sighed and leaned out of the way as a waitress dodged the groping hands of a drunk patron. The girl returned with a large mug and handed it to him, retaining it long enough for their fingers to brush. Auron nodded his thanks to her and took a deep draught. I may need it to get through this night, he thought wryly

The evening wore on, the crowd getting louder and crazier. Kotomo sat red-faced with an arm around a young village girl, enthralling her with stories of his great accomplishments. The girl looked barely old enough to drink, and Auron shook his head. He knew that many of the girls would lose their virginity tonight to a man they barely knew, only to realize that he would be moving on as soon as the next postings came through. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. We're no better than common soldiers, he regarded shamefully.

After nearly getting squashed by one of the drunk men in Nihari's posse, he decided he'd had enough. He slipped out the back door, making sure none of his friends saw him leave. He closed his eyes as the fresh air hit him and took a deep breath, leaning against the side of the building.

"Please, sir, I really must get back inside."

He cocked his head and listened intently to the female voice. A man responded to her in drunken tones and her voice grew more pleading. "Please, sir, I really must go."

He followed the voices along the back of the building to the stable connected to one wall. Now that he was closer, he could hear the soft whinnies of horses, mixed with the occasional chocobo's chirp. He ducked inside in time to hear scuffling noises coming from one of the empty stalls.

"Please, sir, let me go! Don't do this!" Now there was real panic in the girl's voice and as he rushed forward, he heard the sound of flesh being struck. He broke into a run and slid around the edge of the stall. The girl that had served him his drink was crouched in the corner, hands to her face. A man was bent over her, pinning her body to the wall. As he appeared, she looked up hopefully and Auron noticed that her face bore a large, red handprint.

The man looked over his shoulder and Auron drew a breath. "Nihari," he said, shocked.

The blond warrior's face was flushed drunkenly and he glared at Auron, gripping the girl's wrists tightly. "Get lost," he said with a sneer.

"Nihari, what are you doing!"

"This young lady and I were just having a chat. It's none of your business. Go find your boyfriend."

With a quick wrench, the girl broke Nihari's grip on her arms and raced outside. The man watched her go before turning to Auron angrily. "Now look what you've done!" he snarled. He lunged at the warrior, who jumped back hastily.

"Nihari, stop! You're drunk. Go back to camp, you've had enough fun for one evening."

"I think I'd rather make you regret butting into my business." He pulled a wicked-looking knife from his belt and flourished it.

Auron took a step backwards, his hands raised in defense. "Stop it! You don't know what you're doing. Leave before you do something you'll regret."

"The only thing I'll regret is not teaching you a lesson when I had the chance." With that, he slashed at Auron, and only the dark-haired warrior's quick reflexes kept him from being sliced open. Auron leaped to one side, crouching low to make a smaller target. He tried to slip out of the building, but his opponent dodged forward, effectively blocking his exit.

Nihari was the more experienced of the two, and Auron knew it would take some fancy moves to defeat him. If I can just restrain him long enough! he thought franticly. He vaulted towards his adversary, attempting to pin him onto a corner, but the man slashed out, cutting the palm of Auron's sword hand. He gritted his teeth and tried to lead the other warrior towards the door where he could make a break for it, but Nihari cut him off, backing him into the empty stall. Auron realized he had no choice but to draw his own weapon. He removed the foot-long knife from his belt and brandished it defensively.

"Decided to fight like a man, Auron?" Nihari jeered. He lunged forward, catching Auron on his shoulder and slicing deep. Auron grunted in pain, but kept his knife raised. He managed to force Nihari back, gaining a few feet as he slashed the air desperately.

With a sudden move, Nihari slammed into Auron, knocking him backwards. His knife flew through the air and landed several feet away in a pile of dusty straw. He grabbed Nihari's wrist, pushing it away from where it danced dangerously close to his throat. The older man pinned him to the ground, insane with drunken rage as he tried to force the knife into Auron's throat. Auron's hand was slick with blood and the flow from his shoulder was weakening him.

His grasp slipped and he saw the knife slicing at him. Pain flooded his body while the vision in his right eye went out. He howled as the blade tore through his eye socket, slicing deep into the bone from his forehead to his cheekbone. His bloodied hand flew to his ruined eye as his other hand flung out in agony. He hit something solid and instinctively grasped the handle of his knife. He stabbed blindly towards his foe and felt a soft thunk as the blade hit home.

He shoved the dead weight off him and rolled onto his side, his hand still covering his wounded face. He could hear footsteps echoing dully in his head as the room began to swim. He struggled to stand up and realized he could not. He pitched forward into the straw; his vision blurred, then faded to nothing.

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"What did they do to you?" My soft question broke the stillness of the room.

"I was tried. The girl was brought forward to tell her story. And I was acquitted."

"I don't understand. Then why all this controversy?"

"Many thought I should have been put to death, or at the least, stripped of my position and imprisoned. Nihari's father was a very influential man, and he did everything in his power to see me killed. It was a close vote, but I was eventually cleared of the charges."

"So Lobax thinks you should have been penalized? That's what this is all about? He can't let go of the past? Was he one of Nihari's posse or something?"

"You could say that. He was also his cousin."

9