DISCLAIMER: I do not own SQUARE, SQUARESOFT, SQUARE ENIX or the characters, places or ideas from their games. They own me.
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It was a day later, in the bright sunshine and irritating dust of the Djose road when they neared the location of the second fayth Braska had to pray to.

When they took a short break, the summoner discreetly pulled Auron aside and whispered a gentle suggestion. Auron's mouth opened but he was completely as a loss for words.

"Think about it, you still have some time to decide."

They walked along further and finally came to the point where the road branched off, one path leading to the large building and the other down more of the highroad towards Mushroom Rock. Braska glanced at Auron who was busy staring down at some point on the ground.

"I think Jecht can handle it for one day."

"But my lord.." Auron interjected almost automatically, not really having any valid argument as to why he shouldn't go. He gave in, "Are you sure?"

Braska laughed, "Yes Auron, I'm sure."

The stoic man watched as his comrades turned towards the temple, leaving him with a sense of anticipation coupled with a sinking feeling in his gut. He shrugged off his anxiety and resigned himself to the fact that he was going alone to pay a visit to his old home. It had been almost two years, and he might not have another chance to go back. He could do worse than to revisit some aspects of his past. It was just those terrifying few that were too painful - those were the ones stopping him from finding enjoyment in remembering.

Then a new thought entered his mind. He might see Chella. After all he had gone through with her nearby, taking care of him, she was like a close friend and he missed her. He remembered what his thoughts were of her after she had served as Kinocs secretary for a while. She had been so young, too young to have to endure those things just so Kinoc could have his fun. Auron had shuddered at the thought of what else Kinoc might be doing to her, remembering how Kinoc had once mentioned that she was only fifteen, how he had said it with such relish. Auron thought back to the many times he had seen her that first year and how she had slowly become recognized by all the Warrior Monks as Kinocs assistant and shadow. She had remained an enigma to him; he had instinctively known that Kinoc would not approve of him associating with her. And yet, some things are inevitable.

Auron managed four steps into the camp before he was recognized and his name rippled across the camp at the speed that only gossip can travel. Various senior warriors left their jobs to clap him on the back and ask him questions while the new recruits who had only heard of him huddled in small groups, in awe.

"Kinoc is slaving away in his command tent, you must go see him! He'll be so surprised!" Inevitably it came up. Well, he had been prepared for this but suddenly all the things he was going to say slipped from his mind.

He made it to the large tent located near the middle of the encampment and pulled aside the flap, letting himself in. At the sight of Kinoc hunched over a desk, Auron's breath caught in his throat. He stood there until Kinoc glanced up and did a double-take.

"Auron!" He jumped up, almost knocking the table over, and walked around it to stand in front of his former slave. They were alone in the tent with the charts and maps that every army needs.

"How have you been?" Auron quivered at the intimate touch to his side. For too long he had taken the painful memories of betrayal and being taken advantage of – had taken those and formed a barrier between him and the evil Kinoc. But now, at this moment the memories of their friendship, love and pleasure started chipping away at the wall and flowing through the cracks.

He swallowed hard, "I have been well." It was taking considerable willpower not to give in and beg Kinoc to take him back. He tried to concentrate on Braska and their quest to save Spira.

The blond leaned in close and whispered. "I really missed you, my love." Auron reached out a hand and rested it gently on his friend's shoulder. He stiffened as he heard something – a voice.

"Auron..no!" Sounded just like Chella. He glanced around and seeing nothing, noticed that Kinoc did not seem to have heard the sound. He quickly pushed Kinoc away from him and took a step backwards to the dismay of the shorter man.

Just as Kinoc was about to react, a man carrying a sphere camera burst into the tent.

Kinoc's face immediately took on a wide, counterfeit smile. Auron decided that if Kinoc wanted to play it fake then so would he.

"Thanks for everything Kinoc." He really did mean it; he wouldn't have become the man he was without his close comrade. He noticed the way Kinoc almost let a snarl through his façade.

"I know I don't need to tell you this, but guard Lord Braska well." Kinoc tried his best to insinuate, putting emphasis on the summoners name. All his months of planning what he would say and do to Auron if they were to meet again were wasted all because the Monks thought they needed a camera crew to capture the reunion.

""Well, then…" Auron wanted nothing more than to ask about Chella but Kinoc cut him off.

"Going already? You will tell me about Zanarkand when you return, won't you?"

"Farewell." The simple statement didn't do much to resolve things but Auron felt much stronger for saying it. He turned and calmly walked out. When he was just out of sight of the camp he leaned against a rock wall and breathed a sigh of relief. It had not gone exactly as he had planned but he felt a comforting sense of closure. He was about to continue down the road when he glimpsed a familiar place. It was the road he took to get to and from the Djose temple. One night before the teachings he had seen Chella walking up to the cliffs and afterward had followed her. Suddenly, he was there again, two years past but clear as day.

Auron paused as he stepped from the temple, his eyes moving towards the ridge where he'd seen Chella disappear. He turned to head back to his quarters yet was stopped by a strange compulsion to head to the cliffs. He shook his head as he made his way up the narrow track, wondering why he was even doing this. Rounding a bend, he glimpsed her sprawled on the rocks overlooking the sea, a bottle in one hand and a large leather pouch by her side.

"Hello Auron." She didn't move a muscle.

He stood silently for a moment and then took a few steps, sitting down cross-legged near her. He noticed how her body tensed when he moved. He had to know.

"Why do you hate me?"

She looked at him sharply, eyes wide from the question that caught her off guard.

Not normally one to volunteer information, Auron plunged ahead nonetheless.

"I see it in your eyes whenever you actually do look at me. I.." he faltered here, his courage wavering; his accusations were more likely to make her hate him more rather than improving the situation.

Even though he spoke softly, Chella was surprised at the despair she heard in his voice, surprised and torn. She sighed softly and stood up, shaking the small pebbles from the ground out of her garments as she did so. She didn't trust herself to look at him even though she wanted to so bad. How was she supposed to react to this?

She paused a moment and then hefted the bottle out over the cliff. It shattered a hundred feet below them instants before a wave swept the shards away. She then looked at him and answered his question.

Her answer still rang in his mind, and even now he could not make heads or tails of it. Auron walked briskly back to the temple to see Jecht and Braska waiting for him. Even Jecht looked worried at his expression. He told them everything. That evening, while Braska rested within, the two travelers wandered out of the temple for some fresh air and quietude.

"How ya feeling?" Jecht was back to his boisterous self, but this time with more sensitivity to how Auron was doing.

"I think I do not want to talk about it anymore." At this point it was an act, one pretended to be insouciant while the other feigned insult.

Unabashedly the older guardian stretched and leaned against a rock. "You in love with this 'Chella'?"

Auron laughed in derision. Of course not.

No way. Not possible. Not really. Maybe? Damn.

Jecht just laughed at Auron's expression of consternation. He'd been there before too. She was just a fan. She didn't mean anything to him. Why did he feel so empty without her?

Auron on the other hand was completely dumbfounded at how he could have missed that rather important fact. And wasn't he in love with Kinoc? How exactly did Chella fit into the equation? He had to think.

Realizing the inner turmoil Auron was going through, Jecht stood and, patting the ex-monk on the shoulder, wandered along the outskirts of the temple to watch the monkeys.

The first sphere again showed a scene from the past, the urgency causing the memories to come faster and without pause between one and the next. It was noon; Chella had been out collecting again and was heading back to check on her specimens from the previous night as well as start testing on the new organisms that she had found in the morning. She felt like she could get used to this whole 'day off' business.

She paused as the quadrangle came into view, there was an atmosphere that felt foreboding and made her shiver despite the warmth of the high sun. As she approached she could feel the tension in the air and saw a large crowd gathered. She couldn't see object of interest but she saw a friend of hers, Narem, near the front of the crowd. As politely as she could, she squeezed towards him. The Warriors made way for her; after all she was Kinoc's assistant. Narem nodded at her solemnly as she made her way to stand beside him, his normally laughing eyes saddened. A whiplash sound caused Chella to jump and her head shot up to see two monks, stripped to their waists, being flogged by one of the Yevonite priests. She glanced at her friend for explanation and he motioned for them to step back out of the crowd.

"They were caught together..doing.." Narem tried to explain and, giving up, finished lamely, "in bed."

Horrified, Chella's jaw dropped open and her heart leapt to her throat. Curse her imagination; she could already see her beloved Auron supine on the hard ground, blood flowing out of deep wounds along his back.

"What will become of them?"

"They are to be thrown into the via purifico." Narem's eyes closed with sadness at his own pronunciation of his fellow monk's death sentences. "They were in my swordsmanship class. One of them even bested the teacher once.." He stopped, unable to continue.

No. Never. Silently Chella vowed that this would never happen to her Auron. She would do everything in her power, no, more to ensure that Kinoc was never found out. She could easily further the assumption that it was her being used by Kinoc rather than Auron. It would be a good way to keep suspicion away.

The both of them winced as another whiplash sounded, drawing a pained cry as the priests continued with their punishing. Unable to bear anymore of it, they left to their normal duties and chores.

Chella quietly pushed open Kinoc's door and entered. She felt rather rejuvenated by the few days of free time, and was pleased with her progress in experimenting. She had actually found a very useful ointment that could relieve itching which would not have been possible without the extra time to collect and test. She noted Auron's presence and subserviently kept quiet as the two comrades continued their discussion. Kinoc seemed to be trying to convince Auron to take part in something.

"It's really the best thing for both of us. Think about it, we'll have all the power we need and we can still be together." He gently placed his hand on Auron's inner leg, "You do want us to be together, don't you?"

"I should not have to be like that, Kinoc. There are still some things that are too wrong even for you to do."

"Nonsense, this sort of thing is done all the time, and in this case I can easily arrange it all. It will be cause for celebration in the camp, and between us." Kinoc started stroking the other man's thigh tenderly. "Tell you what, you think about it for a few minutes while I talk to Chella outside." That said, Kinoc stood and motioned his secretary to the door.

Outside, the sun was just setting and a chill was starting to permeate the air. Chella shivered and moved closer to Kinoc, who was leaning against the wall. Kinoc raised his eyebrows in surprise at that unexpected behavior and, with a smirk, put an arm around her waist as he talked to her.

"Are you going to tell me why I suddenly have the distinct pleasure of holding you right now?" As always, sarcasm dripped from every word. "Or do I have to beg?"

Her serious eyes looked into his and he could tell there was a reason, and a good one. He decided not to bother, he knew he could trust her.

"Anyways, I take it you enjoyed your break?"

She nodded the affirmative.

"Good. Surely you heard part of what we were talking about in there. Basically, I have plans for our darling Auron. I'm trying, unsuccessfully, to convince him to marry Arenia. You know, the high priest's daughter."

He paused at the questioning look on her face. "Questions?"

"Wouldn't that be..dangerous? Putting two of your favorite toys together; Together they might just find the will to actually oppose you."

Kinoc smiled, he was always pleasantly surprised at how quick the girl was to figure out what he intended and find the flaws which took him days of thinking to realize.

"What can I say? I enjoy living life on the edge. I do intend to keep them both under tight rein. Auron is up for a promotion in a few weeks and Arenia is studying to be a priestess. Eventually I'll have Spira's most influential couple under my control. A Maester and a high Priestess. I've already talked Arenia into it, and the slut has agreed. She needs to have her tarnished reputation fixed and good, steadfast Auron is just the man to do it."

Chella nodded. So she was to be secretary of the man who controlled Spira. She could do without that. She had seen Auron oppose Kinoc minutes before. There was hope.

"So, feeling up to a long night?"

"Sure."

"Go on to the shed, I'm going back inside."