You Don't Know The Real Me – Chapter 7

Battle On The Plains


"The Thunder Plains? Why there?" Rikku whined.

"I thought the Thunder Plains didn't bother you anymore." Paine said, smirking.

"They don't!" Rikku shot back. "But that doesn't mean that I like them though!"

Baralai smiled, "Regardless, that's where our next concert is."

"We're borrowing the Celsius as the stage. Shinra modified his sphere screen, so we're using that." Gippal explained.

Paine frowned, "Last time we used that screen we had to fight fiends that were attacking the towers."

"Shinra says that he fixed that glitch." Gippal said, and Baralai nodded.

Rikku spoke slowly. "Wait… the Celsius? Uh guys… my older brother OWNS the Celsius."

"Seriously? You mean we're gonna meet your older bro?" Baralai asked eagerly.

"And trust me, that's not a good thing." Paine finished for Rikku, walking into Guadosalam.

"Why not?" Gippal asked, looking at Rikku.

"Well… Brother doesn't take well to Yevonites, even though times have changed. How you got him to lend you the airship is beyond me… although he's going to blow a gasket when he finds out that I'm traveling with you. The odds are pretty good that he might throw you off…"

"So, is your brother… Brother, potentially dangerous?"

Rikku laughed. "Oh no! He's just loud and obnoxious. Then again, I haven't gotten him REALLY mad in a long time…" she stopped when she saw the look on Amon's face. "Oh, don't worry about it Amon, I'll yell at him before he even gets near you. That goes for you too Blythe."

Baralai chuckled. "I think I'm okay."

"Well, we need to get some rest, concert's tonight!" Rikku said happily, running into Guadosalam.


"How sure is Shinra that the screen is fixed?" Paine asked Blythe as they got ready.

"He said it was in top shape, so I'm assuming he fixed it."

"You mean you don't know?"

He sighed. "We'll find out soon, won't we? Besides, is it bad that you might be able to beat up a few fiends later?"

"Well, no, it's just not a nice feeling knowing that there are out of control fiends running around."

Gippal nodded, hearing Paine's statement. "It's not, but hey, if wedo have to fight, that means we get to see your dresspheres that you guys keep talking about."

Baralai broke out into a grin. "Oh yeah! Come on, when can we see them?"

Rikku came into the room, "Yeah, when can we show them?"

"I'm not doing a fashion show. Dresspheres are for battle, not for show."

"Says who?" Rikku said, pouting.

Paine glared at the spunky Al Bhed. "You can show Amon them if you want, but I'm not going to show them."

"Then I guess Amon can wait then." Rikku said offhandedly, and Gippal stared at her.

"Huh?"

Baralai laughed. "Are you ever going to show us them?"

"Depends." Paine answered.

"Depends on what?"

She grinned, and leaned over Baralai. "Depends on how good you are." She teased him in a low voice, tapping him on the nose.

Gippal laughed. "Oh man, watch. He'll be the best man you can ever imagine now." Everyone joined in the laughter, and Baralai's face flushed slightly.

Once he had calmed down, Gippal turned to talk to Baralai. "Well, the song is ready-"

"Which song?" Rikku asked, rocking back and forth on her feet.

"The song that we're singing tonight. We have a few songs for you girls to listen to when we get back on the road." Baralai said, smiling at the two of them. "And they're ones that we think you'll love."

"If you want a bigger selection, just let us know." Gippal added. "Now, you two ladies snag your customary spot in the crowd. Blythe, we need to get onstage."


The rain was coming down in a drizzle, and within a few minutes, everyone was soaked.

Amon raised the mic to his mouth, and spoke clearly. "This is a song that Blythe and I came up with, and we managed to put together some music. Blythe's going to crank out his dusty guitar-"

"Because Amon's the one with the voice." Blythe finished with a straight face.

"Excuse me? That's not true. I know woman who would die to hear your voice."

"Aww, you give me to much credit."

Amon shook his head in defeat. "Anyway, this song is called Iris. Hope you enjoy, if you don't, look at Blythe."

"Hey!"

((A/N: Bold is Gippal, italicized is Baralai… you know the drill.))

And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything seems like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know your alive

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

The guys paused singing to Blythe could show off with his guitar. The crowd cheered.

Rikku looked at Paine, screaming over the music. "Since when did Blythe play?"

"I don't know… but he's really good!" Paine shouted back, starring at him in amazement.

"We should get him to play while on the hover ride to Bevelle!" Rikku said enthusiastically.

Paine smiled. "Sounds good. I think it would be fun to learn… what about you?"

"Me? I don't have the patience to learn something like that. I all ready know how to play the piano." Rikku said, nodding her head to the beat.

"Seriously?" Paine cried, looking at Rikku in amazement. How Rikku learned to play a musical instrument was beyond her.

"Yup! It's been a while since I've played though.Wait, they're singing again!"

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am

As the music died, everyone clapped, screamed, cried out for more, etc. The guys grinned, and allowed the crowd the pleasure of hearing another song.


"Whoa! Blythe, why didn't you tell us you played?" Rikku asked, coming down to the engine room/backstage after the show.

He laughed, "You never asked."

When Rikku didn't respond, Gippal spoke. "He's got a point."

"You're not helping!" She cried, hands on her hips.

Everyone laughed, and Paine stuck her head in. "Oh good, she's in here. Damn Rikku, where did you get so fast?"

"Uh… we did run all over Spira Paine." Rikku pointed out.

But Paine just shook her head. "There is no way you were that fast then. Well, Barkeep is offering you guys free drinks. Personally, I suggest you get up there before Brother does."

Blythe jumped up from his chair, and sprinted to the elevator. "Last one there buys the rest of them!"


Paine and Rikku told the guys of their experiences as sphere hunters while they waited for their drinks. The four of them hadn't even taken a sip of their beers when Shinra came running into the cabin.

"You guys!" he cried, running to where they were sitting.

Gippal's brow furrowed. "Something wrong Shinra?"

"I thought I fixed my sphere screen so fiends wouldn't attracted to it, but I must have messed up somewhere! They're back, and I think they're a lot stronger than last time!"

Paine groaned and stood up. "Time for the clean up crew. You guys said you wanted to see dresspheres right? Well, here's your chance. Just stay out of the way, okay?"

Blythe sighed, and set his drink down. "Who says you and Rikku are fighting by yourselves?"

Rikku looked at him. "Because we're the only ones that can fight?"

Gippal tutted his disappointment. "Aw, do the both of you really think that Blythe and I are defenseless? On the contrary, we are fully capable of fighting thank you."

Paine shook her head. "Oh, I've gotta see this."

Shinra interrupted the exchange. "HELLO! We have a problem here!"


"WHOA! Big Coeurl!" Rikku cried, running forward toward the fiend feeding off the energy of the tower.

Paine rolled her eyes. "That's a Queen Coeurl Rikku."

"HUH? Like the ones we cleared out at the Chocobo Ranch?"

"The one and only." Paine said dryly as she pulled out her one handed sword.

Rikku groaned, and unsheathed her curved, crimson daggers. The girls began to pound away at the Coeurl, but soon gave up. Baralai saw Paine spherechange. He had seen a spherechange when the Gullwings fought him in Bevelle, but he hadn't seen what Paine had transformed into. Black Mage it was. He was taking in the wonderfully made outfit, when Gippal tapped him on the shoulder.

"Uh, dude, you're starring."

Baralai's face flushed slightly, and he shook his head to clear out any thoughts about Paine's dress. Rikku spherechanged into a dressphere that would allow quick hits, and now, it was Gippal's turn to stare.

"Holy… Spira…" he breathed, taking in what Rikku was wearing, rather what she wasn't.

Baralai snickered. "Oh, and you tell me to quit starring."

"Huh?" Gippal said, jerking out of his reverie. When he realized what he had been doing, he blushed. "Shut up." He muttered before his friend could say anything. Within a few seconds afterward, the Queen Coeurl was sent to the Farplane. When they transformed back into their normal dresspheres, they jogged back to the guys.

Blythe clapped, "Bravo, simply splendid! Good show ladies!" He said, trying to mock Gippal's voice.

Gippal just starred at his friend. "You suck at that… you do know that right?"

Everyone laughed, and Baralai punched his arm. "Geez, it is Pick On Blythe Day today or something?"

Paine smirked. "No, but it sounds like a good idea."

"Hey! I thought you were on my side!"

She raised an eyebrow, and everyone busted out laughing again, even Baralai.

"Well, come on you guys, we get to see what you guys are made of!" Rikku cried, running toward the next tower, and fiend.

"Where does she get this energy?" Gippal asked Paine, and she shrugged.

"Beats me. If you guys don't hurry, she'll take care of it herself." Paine replied, going after Rikku at a fast walk.


"Aw man… why do we get the ugly serpents?" Blythe groaned, and Amon rolled his eyes.

"Did you manage to miss the elemental?" Amon said, trying to keep his annoyance out of his voice.

"Oh! Aw man… why do we get the ugly serpents and the lightning elemental?"

Amon cried in frustration. "Can you just shut up?"

"Sure."

"Yeah, let's see how long that lasts." Amon muttered, and ran forward, drawing out a staff. Rikku marveled at how wonderfully made it was, and just as its sheer beauty. Solid black metal, with silver flames wrapping around it. A clear, glass ball sat on the top, looking like it was shimmering. "Blythe! What happened to you helping me?"

"Oh! Right!" Blythe cried, and ran forward to join his friend. A few steps away, he flipped up into the air, landing down gracefully on his feet. He was close to the ground, and his two twins blades were held out horizontally, away from his body. He stood up slowly, holding his swords tip down, ready to strike.

"Show off." Amon muttered. "Focus on the basilisks." He told Blythe, as he raised his staff to rest vertically above his head. To the girls' amazement, the silver flames on his staff began to grow a vivid blue, and the crystal ball seemed to be filled with water. "Waterga!" He cried out, aiming the spell at the lightning elemental. The spell hit dead on, and the elemental erupted into pyreflies.

"Nice!" Blythe called out, running up to a nearby serpent, striking it rapidly with his double swords. The serpent wasn't pleased to say the least, and lashed out with its tail.

"GUYS! Watch out!" Rikku screamed. She and Paine watched in horror as the tail connected with both men, sending them flying into the air. The both of them landed hard. Blythe jumped back up, a trail of blood oozing out of the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away angrily, and ran towards the fiend that hit him.

"Take this you snake!" Blythe yelled, jumping into the air. He held the swords above his head in an x as he descended back to the ground. Blythe charged his blades with a fire attack, and slashing the basilisk before flipping back away from it. The fiend roared in pain, and vanished to the Farplane. Now there was only two more left.

Amon took a little longer to stand up, and Rikku noticed that he was favoring his right leg. He strode up to the remaining serpents as fast as he could, and began to charge up another spell. But the flames of his staff didn't glow blue this time, but instead shone with a wonderful brilliance. The orb on his staff shined like the sun, blinding whoever looked at it.

"Curaga!" He shouted, and the fighter's pain diminished somewhat. Blythe cried out an attack, and hit a serpent. It went to the Farplane, and Amon killed the last one with Flare. When the battle was over, Paine ran down the slope towards Blythe, all ready spherechanged into her White Mage dressphere. Rikku was a second behind her, transforming as she ran.


"Really Paine, I'm fine!" Blythe protested.

But she didn't believe him one bit. "If you're fine, why is there a gash on your head?"

He stopped in his attempts to get away. "Huh? I don't have a- OW!"

"Stop fidgeting." Paine told him sternly as she looked at the gash along his hairline, right above his left eye. Paine focused her energy, and white magic flowed from her fingers to heal the wound. When the cut was healed however, Paine found that she couldn't move her hand away. She lightly trailed her fingers down Blythe's face, coming to rest her hand on his cheek. Clear blue eyes locked on crimson ones. For Blythe, where her fingers touched, his skin tingled.

"Is that everything?" Paine asked softly.

He smiled lazily. "Sadly, it is. Thanks Paine." He said quietly, and pulled Paine in for a hug. To his delight, she didn't protest, and hugged him back just as hard.


Rikku reached Amon and grabbed his arm.

"Spira! Are you all right? You hit the ground so hard…"

Amon grimaced. "Yeah, my arm hurts."

"Which one?" she asked innocently.

He grimaced again. "The one you're holding."

"OH!" Rikku squeaked, letting go of the arm that she was gripping like it was fire. Within seconds, she had rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to reveal his upper arm. Her face paled when she saw the black and blue bruise on his bicep.

"Amon…" she breathed. "Oh Amon…"

"Hey, it could be worse." He said quietly, thinking that this wasn't that bad.

"Lets not think about that." She said sternly. "Now, put your hand on my shoulder."

"Huh? Why?" Amon asked, genuinely startled. When he didn't do what she asked, Rikku grabbed his hand with a frustrated sigh and put it on her shoulder. Amon could feel her shoulder through the fabric of her White Mage robe, and it was driving him crazy. She laid both of her hands on his bruise; causing to him to hiss in pain and tighten his hold on her shoulder.

Rikku felt his hand tighten, and she apologized to him silently. She focused her energy. Her hands glowed, at the bruise began to disappear. When she managed to get the swelling to go down, and most of the discoloration to vanish, she stopped. Rikku gasped at the energy drain, and swayed on her feet.

"Whoa, Rikku, hang in there." Amon whispered as he steadied her. He chanced a move, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Dryhg oui, Rikku." ((Thank you, Rikku.))

She smiled up at him. "Ed fyc hudrehk." ((It was nothing.))

Paine came over with Blythe, "We've still got eight towers to check, let's go."


After all the towers had been checked, and the Humba defeated, the group was dead tired.

Rikku was actually sitting down on the wet ground, her hands resting behind her, keeping her up. Gippal was down on both knees, his staff really close to a mud puddle, but he didn't seem to care at the moment. Paine was only down on one knee, and wasweakly gripping her sword. Baralai squatted down to catch his breath; his swords were back in their sheaths. When everyone stood up, Paine let out a yelp. Baralai caught her before she could fall.

"What's wrong?" he asked nervously, looking into her red eyes.

She squeezed them shut in pain. "I… I think it's my foot. I landed awkwardly when the Humba attacked, but I didn't think anything of it…"

"Put some weight on it." Gippal said, picking up his staff and coming to stand next to her. Rikku jumped up and ran over to the trio. Paine tried, but nearly fell over with the effort.

"I… I can't. I can't put weight on it, let alone walk." Paine said softly, and Baralai scooped her up in his arms.

"Heh… sorry Paine. I've got ya', I promise." He said sheepishly, expecting a lecture for invading her personal bubble.

But she just smiled sadly at him. "I know you do. Thank you Blythe."

As the group walked back toward the airship, Gippal reached out and grabbed Rikku's hand. She met his gaze, and smiled.

'Rikku… what I would do to tell you the truth…' his heart wept. These days of happiness were going to be gone someday, and Gippal knew that he would be a broken man when they came.


A/N: Oh yeah! I've got SOME BaralaixPaine fluff in there... gimme a break, I'M WORKING ON IT! Sorry it took me so long to update everyone, you have no idea how sorry I am!

for always x - Glad you loved the cake fight! I attempted some PainexBaralai fluff, so let me know how it worked... if you can really even call that stuff fluff... ((sighs in defeat))

Paine3 - AHA! I found one of the people that never reviewed. MWAHAHA! ((cough)) Ahem, anyway. Yes, thank you very much for reviewing finally, and I hope you liked this chapter. And I'm glad that you liked all my stuff. Wait, if you do, why haven't you reviewed? ((glares)) Just kidding! ((lol))

marajade963 - Yeah, at first I thought that I wanted the girls to be completely pissed, but I don't know if I want to follow through on that. They're going to find out soon, but this fic is far from over! Okay, it's about half way- 2/3 through, so just hang in there!

Kitsu Kurasei - Ohh! Can you give me link for that fan art? I'm obbssesed with it. I would love to draw it, but poor old me doesn't draw very nicely... hehe? I'm glad that you like this, and that I'm making the flirting/coupling believable for RikkuxGippal. That might be a little harder for Paine and Baralai... but I'm going to get it!

Song... Iris - Goo Goo Dolls

Disclaimer: Nope. Not mine. Never will be, oh well.

Read and review please, I luv you all!

-Vincent's Angel of Chaos-