Strange Day Fujin walked up the hall lost in thought. She had left the cafeteria without incident; she counted herself lucky for not encountering Luccian and his pet gorilla. New faces were everywhere, apparently the new students picked up from Trabia. She passed Aeka who was stared openly at her. Fujin ignored her and moved onward. "Fujin?!" The girl shouted abruptly. Fujin paused then looked back at the girl curiously. "Ah Ha!" Aeka beamed and she rushed over to her. Fujin stepped back warily, unsure of what her intentions where. "I thought it was you! I’m Aeka" She smiled widely and stuck out a hand. Fujin looked at it as if it where attached to a corpse. Aeka withdrew the gesture nonplussed and scratched her head. "You are Fujin right?" "WHY?" "Yeah you’re her, I’m sure no one else is like you." She giggled. Fujin felt more than a little insulted by that and turned to walk away. "Oh ack wait! I meant that in a good way." "DISAPPEAR." Fujin sighed in annoyance. "I just wanted to meet you. Your Quistis’s friend so I’m assuming your not as bad as people say you are." Fujin remembered the girl now. One of the students Quistis was walking with in town. Aeka she believed her name was. "STUDENT, AEKA?" "That would be me." She smiled brightly. Fujin stood quietly waiting for a reason for all of this. "Not the talkative sort are you Miss Fujin." Fujin frowned, the girl had the annoying habit of making her feel old. "Does she know your back?" Aeka asked excitedly. "AFFIRMATIVE." "Wonderful, she’s been so sad lately, hopefully you can cheer her up." Fujin didn’t know how to respond to that, so she stood silent. Aeka waited patiently, expecting some sort of reply. None was forthcoming and she looked around nervously. "Um well I suppose that’s it then." She smiled. "Welcome back I guess. Errr see you around" She said with a faint giggle hurriedly before scampering away. Fujin sighed and decided she would ask Quistis what to do about to completing her classes. ********************************* Xu sat in her office her anger hanging about her so thick one could nearly smell it. She had not meant to blow up like that, she usually had a better grip on her temper. Regardless of her annoyance at the whole situation, one fact remained. Quistis was not suited for her role as teacher. She knew they reinstated her license out of pity instead of any actual skill. She hated what had become of her and Quistis’s relationship. They used to be friends but now, now. She clenched her fists and slammed them down on her table kicking up a hail of documents and pens. "Damn it!" "Someone’s in a bad mood." A voice said bluntly, Xu looked up startled, it was Nida. The young man stood grinning in the doorway, as always he was the perfect little trooper. His uniform neatly pressed, his short cropped hair, cut with seemingly clinical precision. He was handsome enough, Xu even thought about asking him out a few times, but she knew, like her, he was married to his position and had little time for social activities. Ever since Balamb Garden rediscovered the power of flight Nida had been assigned the lofty title Flight Captain. A position he loved and was quite proud of. "What do you want? Who’s flying Balamb if you down here?" "Zell." "Great we’re all going to die." She joked sarcastically as she picked up the strewn papers "Cute, you know all senior staff must spend flight hours, just in case." "I know, that was just my attempt at levity." She sat down in her seat flustered. "Ah, sorry, ha ha ha." He droned. "You must have a reason for coming down here, Nida, what is it?" "Well to be honest, I heard you throwing a fit, Cid left his com open." "That’s nice. That still doesn’t explain why your hear." Xu commented icily "Do I have to have a reason?" "Yes." She said bluntly "Come on now you and me seen a lot together, I’d like to think we’re friends." "Fair enough, but quit with the pleasantries and speak your mind." "Fine then. I’ll stop beating around the bush." He grew serious. "I know what your problem is. You’re not being fair and I for one am willing to say it to your face." "Oh hell here we go." She leaned back in her chair and propped her feet on the desk. "You’re resentful and jealous." He stated simply. "Oh thank you for that stunning analysis, you mean you left your little perch to come insult me?" She pointed up the hall. "You can just get the hell out Mr." "Hear me out." He held up his hand defensively. "You graduated top of you class correct?" "Yeah so." She eyed him dangerously. "You have a impeccable record if I recall, highly trained in tactics and espionage and lord knows what else.?" "This is common knowledge Nida. What’s you point." "Your bored with you position." "Bored? Where do you get off with that notion." "Oh stop the bull. You mean to tell me someone with you personality and training is happy baby sitting new students and keeping them in line." "I like my position fine thank you." She snapped bitterly. "Why do I not believe you." "I don’t care what you believe." He walked over and sat on the edge of her desk. "You remember when Norg tried to cease power?" "Yes." "Who was the one leading the charge and rallying the students." "Nida why are you doing this?" "Who was the one in the front lines fighting the Galbanian soldiers while Squall and his team we’re battling Edea." "Your point?" She sighed. "You want more out of your life than you can get sitting behind a desk." "I just wanted to part of something greater." She frowned. "Exactly." Nida placed a caring hand on her shoulder. "Your resentful that you got put here while Squall and everyone went on to be heroes." "Why are you here Nida?" "You’re my friend and your being a bitch so I had to come jar you back to normal." "Quistis." "Xu come on now, sure Quistis is a bit spacey but you’re just venting on her. Is she really that bad. You two used to get along great." "I suppose your right." She frowned slightly. Nida grinned and leaned towards her. "You remember when it was You, me and her running things while everyone else was off playing in Eshtar. It was great wasn’t it?" "Yeah it was." She grinned fondly at the memory. "See now that’s the Xu I know." He stood and folded his arms. "I guess I’ve been an ass lately?" "Yup." "Gee thanks." "No problem. Listen though, if your that upset, just ask for a transfer to Mission Operations, I’m sure your expertise will get you in good." "I thought about it, but I like working with the students too." "Then why are you having such a fit." "You tell me you’re the one with the answers." "I can’t help you there sport, that one you have to solve yourself." "Wonderful." She slumped, feeling like an utter ass. "Want to have dinner tonight?" He asked out of the blue. "What?" She looked up, completely thrown for a loop. "Did I stutter." He grinned. "Do my ears deceive me or did the Balamb’s biggest recluse just ask me out." "Recluse?" He scratched his head in confusion and nearly insulted. "Yes." "Yes what?" He was lost now. "Yes I’ll have dinner. It’ll do us both some good to get out." "Recluse? I’m not a recluse?" She stood and ushered him out of her office. "Sure your not, see you at, say 8:00 okay?" "Why am I recluse? I just like to fly what’s wrong with that? 8:00 you say, that’s good for me." He babbled as she shut the door behind him. **************************** Quistis leaned quietly on the balcony over looking Balamb’s main hall. She wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea of her forced vacation. She had no idea what she’d do to keep occupied. Things could be worse, they could have pulled her license again. She saw Zell far below talking with Luccian and Archibald. "Wonder what that’s about." She asked herself. She glanced to her left and noticed Fujin leaning on the rail right beside her. "HYNE!" Quistis jumped, startled at her friend’s sudden appearance. "Why do you do that to me!" She put her hands on her hips and wrinkled her nose in annoyance. Fujin looked at her with slight amusement. "FOUND YOU." "Yes you have." Quistis smiled as she leaned back on the rail. "How’s things going?" "AWKWARD." "How so?" Fujin shrugged; there was no easy way to explain it. She felt at home at Balamb but also like a stranger. "Can I help in anyway?" Quistis asked hopefully. "RESUME CLASSES." "What do you mean? You want to resume your classes?" "AFFIRMATIVE." "Whoa." Quistis looked pleasantly shocked. "When do you want to start, I mean have you talked to Cid yet?" Fujin shook her head. "Well I already told him you returned, I hope you don’t mind? If you want I can talk to him for you?" "APPRECIATION." "Your welcome." Quistis smiled fondly at her. "MEETING?" Fujin asked curiously. "Oh, um, well." Quistis scratched her head embarrassed. "They put me on leave for a week, while they review the situation." Fujin soured and looked apologetic. "APOLOGY." "It’s not your fault hon." "ACTION?" "What do you mean?" "WHAT NOW?" "I don’t know honestly. I’ve always had something to work on, but now I have all this time to kill." "RELAX." "Easy for you to say, your jobs not on the line." "HAVE ONE, AT LEAST." Fujin pointed out dryly. "True." "TRIP?" "Trip where?" "CHOOSE." "I don’t know anyplace worth visiting. I’m really rather boring in that respect." "NEGATIVE." "You’re just being nice." "NOT NICE." Fujin said insulted. "Oh don’t give me that look." Quistis smirked. "HUMPF." Quistis stuck her tongue out at her. "JUVENILE." Fujin barked imperiously "I know you are but what am I?" Quistis giggled. "MOCKING?" Fujin looked at her indignantly. Quistis made a face at her. "DERANGED." Fujin tried to ignore her antics. "Oh your no fun." Quistis pouted cutely. "Well let’s go talk to Cid then." **************************** Cid sat at his desk, things had been hectic the last few days and now he was thankful for some peace and quite. He was preparing to lay waste to a hoagie when his intercom buzzed. "Yes?" He sighed into the speaker. "You have visitors" "Rebecca I’m having Lunch who is it?" "Quitis Trepe." "Send her in." He set his sandwich aside. Quistis entered the room with Fujin right behind her. "What can I do for you ladies?" Cid asked. Quistis and Fujin took a seat "Well Sir Fujin wanted me to ask you a few things." "Okay I’m listening." "Fujin." Quistis looked over at her and smiled a comforting smile. "She wants to get back into the seed program." "What?" Cid looked at the duo suspiciously. "She wants to finish her course, so we came to talk to you, assuming I’m still an instructor after this week, she’ll be in my classes again." "I see." Cid sighed and entwined his fingers together. "Well it’s been a year since she was last taking an active course." "True." Quistis looked worried at Fujin, who sat stone-faced. Cid was thoughtfully a moment. "Refresh my memory, how far along in classes where you Fujin?" "She had one semester before graduation." Quistis answered. "I see that make it a little easier." "Fujin I assume you know a few people here are wary of your being here. Are you sure Fujin lowered her head and nodded grimly. "Well are you sure you want to do this, I can’t guarantee you’ll be welcome by the other students." Fujin shifted in her seat and Quistis offered her a reassuring smile. "Calm down, considering Edea’s past who am I to deny you a second chance." Cid smirked. "I’ll write up the papers and pass on the info. Quistis you can help her out, catch her up on her studies. It’ll give you something to do during you week off." "That’s wonderful, I’ll be happy to help her out." Quistis beamed and looked to Fujin who still sat stoically. "THANK YOU." She finally said with a shy smile. "Your welcome, anything else?" "I don’t’ think so." Quistis replied. "Okay then that was easy enough. Now if you don’t mind." He reached for his sandwich. "Thank you Sir." Quistis said as they stood to leave. "Oh and Fujin." He looked up with a stern expression. "YES SIR." Fujin turned to face him. "I’m sure I don’t have to say it but please stay out of trouble." "AFFIRMATIVE." "Good, you girls have a good day." He took a bite out of his sandwich. As they waited for the elevator, Fujin faced Quistis and smiled softly. "THANK YOU." She said, faintly blushing. "My pleasure hon." Quistis replied then regarded her thoughtfully. "You hungry?" Fujin nodded. "Come on I’ll fix us some lunch."
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