This is one I actually wrote for the Weather Challenge I tried to start at QTC (boy what a fail... but let's not get into that) but I only just finished it today. Enjoy!

Two dark silhouettes pass over the long expanse of desert sand, steadily growing longer as the afternoon sun sinks deeper over the horizon. They scurry over the sand dunes hand in hand, the taller, more masculine figure leading his female companion towards the water's edge.

"We really shouldn't be out here so late," comes the girl's voice. She jerks her hand away and the youth stops in his tracks.

"It'll be ages until sundown. We'll have plenty of time to make it back to Home before anyone notices we're missing."

He grins at her, but she shakes her head, causing the two braids at the base of her neck to dance wildly.

"Vydran vemm gemm sa… (Father will kill me…)" she murmurs.

She turns to go back the way they came, but he catches her hand and pulls her back.

"Wait."

Her eyes widen in surprise at the seriousness of his tone, but he goes on.

"There's a reason why I brought you out here today instead of on Saturday as usual."

The girl plonks herself onto the bank of the oasis and looks up at the rare sight of a cloudy sky.

"I know you're leaving on Saturday."

She paddles her feet in the water, not lifting her eyes to him.

"And? Doesn't everyone? E's zocd vummufehk Brother uh dra cymfyka creb… (I'm just following Brother on the salvage ship)" she murmurs indignantly.

She lifts her head as a raindrop falls onto her hand, admiring the rare water droplet resting on her tanned skin. She looks to the boy as more fall from the sky, but he does not get up to find shelter.

"I mean after the salvage operation," he says, leaning back into the damp sand.

She follows suit, lying down beside him and watching his face anxiously. He turns his head to face her, his emerald eyes staring at her. He reaches for her hand and holds it tenderly; it is warm and soft in his own.

"I mean how you're not coming home afterwards. How you're going to help your vydran rescue your cousin."

She swallows and tears begin to build up in the corners of her eyes.

"E fyc kuehk du damm oui, pid E zocd luimth'd tu ed…(I was going to tell you, but I just couldn't do it…)" she whispers.

He turns away from her and sits up, not bothering to brush the sand off his back. The rain falls heavier, causing his blonde hair to droop with the weight of the water.

"I can't let her continue her Pilgrimage. She shouldn't have to sacrifice herself; there has to be another way…" she says, sitting up next to him.

He sighs and turns to her.

"I don't blame you for that. It's ok to want to protect the people you care about..."

He hesitates and the girl eyes him anxiously as he struggles for the next word.

"That's why I'm leaving too."

The girl gasps and grips his hand tightly.

"I'm leaving to join the Crusaders. I'm going to fight Sin."

Tears flow more freely from her eyes and get mixed up with the lightening rain that moistens her cheek.

"You could die out there! Sin could kill you when you're fighting! You could die."

"So could y-"

He bites his lip and never finishes that sentence.

"I know," he answers instead.

"But you're an Al Bhed. They'll never let you join."

He shakes his head.

"They have a new chapter that's accepting Al Bhed recruits. I'm... I'm leaving Saturday to enlist."

The girl gasps, a soft sob escaping her lips. She rests her head on his shoulder, trembling slightly.

"I'll come home afterwards... I'll come home if you promise me this," he says quietly.

"What?" she asks anxiously, sitting up straight.

"You have to come back too. Promise me that. And I'll... I'll ask your vydran if we can get married."

"Really?" she says, her tears slowing, just like the rain above.

"We'll come back here to get married. At this very oasis. And we can live where ever you like; the desert, the mainland, even Mt. Gagazet if you want," he babbles on excitedly. "We can have lots of kids, just like you always wanted. As soon as we come home, I'll ask your vydran if I can marry you."

She laughs, but her eyes are still moist. She wants to believe him, but…

The sun peers out behind the grey clouds, casting rays of intense light amidst the desert hills. They both turn to admire the beautiful band of colour that forms behind the sandy dunes. This is only the second rainbow they have ever seen.

"Gippal?" says the girl softly, entwining her fingers with his.

"Yes?" he says, pulling her closer.

"It's a promise."

I was thinking how rainbows represent a promise (you know, the covenant God made with Noah in the bible about not flooding the earth again) and that formed the basis of my story. I also dabbled in present tense (though I'm not sure how that worked...) Not my best work, but I hope you like it anyway.

-Icicle Streams