"This is your home?" asked Auron.

"Thanks to you Yevonites, it is," snarled Cid.

For the briefest second (before Cid's angry remark), Auron finally felt pity for the Al-Bhed. Bikanel was nothing but a giant heap of… well… nothing. The sand dunes were like mountains here, and the strong gusts of wind sent the hot grains down into their clothing, their hair, their eyes and their ears. It was uncomfortable and hot and Auron was suddenly a little homesick for Bevelle. Even the rocking ship would be preferable to this wasteland.

"Let's get a move on," Cid groaned.

"Get a move on? What do you mean? How are we going to find Braska in this?"

"How are we gonna find Braska? How are we gonna find Braska?!"

Auron scowled, but corrected himself. This man knew Bikanel much better then he did, he was sure, so he would have to be careful not to get on his bad side.

"And your sister, of course."

Cid merely grunted and turned away, walking up a nearby dune. Auron began to follow, but turned back to look at Rin. He was unloading several things from the boat, though it did not look like he was going to be ready any time soon.

"Aren't you coming?" Auron asked anyway. "I thought that 'we' were on a mission to find them?"

Rin smiled and shook his head.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, and I wish to again, someday, however I must get my supplies ready. Starting a business is not all laughter," he said cheerily.

"I hope to meet you again, too. Until then."

Auron bowed to him, and Rin returned the gesture. He followed Cid up the dunes, ignoring the hot sand filling his boots more and more. The walk was tiresome and drained his strength quickly, and the sun's heat did nothing to alleviate his exhaustion. Eventually, they reached a small, sheltered metal "tent" that provided at least a little shade from the sweltering temperature. They sat down, groaning in unison, and Cid brought out a thick, round white jug filled with sparkling water. Auron licked his dry lips; it felt like rubbing two pieces of sandpaper against each other. Cid saw his hungry expression, but grinned to himself evilly and smacked his lips, then poured water into his hand and splashed it onto the bald part of his head. Auron scowled, but turned away; he refused to give this man the satisfaction of his suffering. After a few minutes, Cid rose to keep on walking, but turned back to Auron for a brief moment, quickly throwing the large jug into his hands. Auron drank from it like he was dying, but refused to finish it, deciding instead to tie it around his own waist. Cid took notice, but refused to say anything.

Soon enough – though not as soon as Auron would have liked – Cid brought them to a small series of metal buildings, rusting and full of holes. The sun's setting orange glow did not reach into this deep pit in the desert, instead casting only even more of a shadow from behind the forms of the mountainous dunes. Cid breathed in calmly, happily, then began to slide down into the deep depression, waving at a man who had just exited the closest building. They embraced as he reached the bottom, and began talking animatedly in Al-Bhed. Cid gestured with a growling voice to Auron, and the man took his figure in with complete dislike. He walked up to him, scowling.

"You, Yevonite, do you think you can push us around here?" he snarled, his accent so thick he was almost incoherent. "Your laws are for the rest of the weak in Spira."

There were a few noises of general assent around him, punctuated by heavy footsteps approaching from all sides. He felt a strange, conflicted homesickness for Bevelle rise within him again, but he willed it away and focused on the angry faces surrounding him. Someone jabbed his side with a sharp metal instrument, and when he tried to pull away, it ripped his Warrior Monk garb even further. He had not bothered to change (or even shower) since his fight with Mahlah early this morning. It seemed so distant now…

Cid raised his hands in a soothing gesture, yelling something in Al-Bhed. They backed away from them, but still kept their unhappy sneers upon their sun-darkened faces. Auron nodded his thanks, but Cid turned away from him, pointing to a shoddy hunk of metal propped up with two equally shoddy poles. Auron supposed that the thick layer of rust was the only thing holding the makeshift shelter together anymore.

While the rest of the Al-Bhed joined around a large campfire a couple hundred feet away, Auron laid himself down to rest, sipping from the water jug and reaching inside his travel pack for the little bit of food he had brought himself. He had just pulled out some tough, dried meat when a small boy approached him. Auron looked at the child with curiosity and suspicion. What could he want?

His eyes were impossibly huge, green and swirled, and his blonde hair hung to one side, as though the wind had swept it there and he hadn't bothered to straighten it. Even at his young age, he had several silver rings in his ears, and looked to Auron with a mixture of awe and contempt. Pointing, he said something in Al-Bhed, but Auron shook his head.

"I'm not sure what you're saying. I don't speak Al-Bhed."

"He is saying that he is hungry," said a woman a few feet away. "He does not speak English. We do not want him to."

He had not seen her there, and her voice startled him. She was beautiful, with choppy golden hair accented with beaded braids and a green headband that matched the signature eyes of her people. She did not smile, but she had a kind, warm face. Auron nodded and handed the boy several large pieces of his jerky. The boy ran away, not even bothering to thank him, but the woman bowed proudly and followed him. Auron watched them go silently.

"That was my son. And my wife."

Auron looked up to see another person standing by him, but this time, he knew who it was; Cid. Auron merely grunted.

"You got a family?" Cid asked.

Auron shook his head.

"I'm not surprised."

"Because I'm so young? There are others even younger than me…"

"No, because you're annoying."

Auron balked, scowling, but didn't say anything. Cid rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Well, thanks."

He walked away without another word and a few minutes later Auron laid his exhausted body and mind down to sleep.