Confusion "FOOLISHNESS!" "Would you quit fussing." Quistis said sourly as worked the brush through Fujin's hair. "WASTE OF TIME." Fujin huffed and squirmed on the edge of the bed. "We're going out to a high class restaurant then to an opera you have to dress up." Quistis tried in vain. "LOOK RIDICULOUS." "You will not." "NOTHING TO WEAR." "Please." Quistis rolled her eyes and stood. She walked over to the alcove that Fujin had converted into a closet. "Let's see here." She mumbled to herself and sifted through the array of clothes. After a moment she sighed exasperated. "Only thing close is your dress uniforms." "TOLD YOU." "That's okay." Quistis turned a smiled broadly. Fujin was sure she wasn't going to like what was coming. "I have a few dresses that might fit you from when I was younger." "DRESS." Fujin balked. "Hey they are nice." Quistis said defensively. "I'll have you know I keep up to date on the latest fashions. "HAND ME DOWNS." Fujin soured. "No not a hand me down." Quistis grumbled and folded her arms. "NO DRESS." "And why not?" "NO DRESS." "So you've said. I think you'd look cute in a dress." Quistis eyed her thoughtfully and Fujin felt like a bug under a microscope. "NOT CUTE." "Oh here we go again." Quistis rubbed her forehead. "Come on it's not that bad. Besides you've got great legs, you should show them off." "UGH." Fujin shook her head. "What!?" "NO DRESS." "Fine then." Quistis huffed getting somewhat annoyed. "FINE." Fujin agreed. "Wear what you want then." Quistis all but grumbled. "I, have to get ready." She said with a tinge of annoyance and left. Fujin watched her go without a word. She turned to look at her reflection and sighed heavily. "FRUMPY." She mumbled quietly and pushed the mirror over. ******** Quistis stormed up the hall, her mood growing ever fouler. "She's so damn hardheaded sometimes." She thought irritably, just as she spotted Selphie moping quietly up the hall. The girl looked down right miserable. Quistis frowned and moved up quietly to her. "You okay?" She said quietly, it didn't occur to her that this was the first time they'd spoken since Fujin's encounter with Rinoa. "Hey Quisty." Selphie mumbled, the girl looked green around the gills. "I suppose so." "Not to be mean, but you look like crap, are you sure you feel okay?" With motherly concern Quistis felt the girl's brow. "Hmm you're not warm." "I think its something I ate." "Been eating Irvine's cooking eh?" Selphie giggled dully and made a face. "Ew don't make me laugh." "Have you been to the doctor." "No I'll be okay." "How long have you been like this." "Couple days, been sick to my stomach." "Come on." Quistis took her by the arm. "What!? No lemmi go." Selphie protested. "No arguing, you're coming with me." "Where to?" "Dr. Kadowaki." Quistis smiled. "Oh she's a butcher I don't wanna go." Selphie pulled at Quistis's arm in vain. She was in no condition to put up a decent fight. "Quit being a baby and come on. You could have food poisoning or worse." "It hasn't killed me yet, so I'll get over it." Selphie grumbled and not budging. Quistis arched a brow and glared at the girl. She'd had enough arguing for the day. ************* Cid walked quietly up the halls of Balamb Garden. A habit he picked up after the war. He had a fatherly urge to make sure all was well with the students. Over the years he had gotten used to seeing many strange things in these hallowed halls. So he was only mildly surprised when he was nearly run over by Quistis who stormed around the corner with Selphie Tilmitt slung over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The small woman was kicking and screaming and promising a wide variety pain and suffering. Quistis and Selphie both paused to nod politely at him. "Good evening Sir." They said in unison. "Ladies." Cid said cautiously and adjusted his glasses. "Put Me DOWN!!" Selphie resumed her tirade and Quistis continued her trek. "Such good girls." Cid chuckled to himself and went on his way. ********* Slithering, sticky, and wet, it moved along the ducts and vents that provided Balamb its life. It was searching for prey. The rats and small creatures that scurried the structure depths proved inadequate for its needs. It sensed a presence, something familiar and it paused. "Cid." The thing gurgled through the vestige mouth it had grown on the bulk of its slug-like form. The flesh along its back split wetly and a pink veined tentacle slithered out. It worked itself through the ductwork and between the vents. The end of the tentacle swelled and popped open revealing a lidless bloodshot eye. It immediately recoiled from the light, the first light it had seen in over a year. Slowly it adjusted and peered around. It seemed to be a hall, somewhat familiar. Looking down form its vantagepoint in the ceiling, it saw the rotund, middle aged form of Cid, the headmaster of Balamb Garden. The thing toyed with the notion of dropping down on the unsuspecting fool but decided against it. He was not alone, he was talking to two women. It knew them as it knew Cid, it hated them and wanted to feast on their flesh and crush them into nothingness. "Vengence." The creature gurgled and withdrew the tendril into its body. It knew what it had to do before it dared make a move against the protectors of this place. It moved onward, It need building materials, it needed flesh to make itself whole, and there was one place it could do so without revealing itself. It eagerly slide along its path, a solitary water pipe with the words Training Center stenciled along it. **************** "You hit me!?" Royce staggered back holding his nose. The on looking crowd of students, most of which came from Quistis's class, Rinoa included burst into laughter. Aeka brought both hands to her mouth in fright and embarrassment. They'd all gathered for a secret party in the hidden area behind the training center to commemorate their last semester of classes. "Oh Hyne, Royce I'm soooooo sorry." She ran over to him and he back up waving her away. "Nice punch girl." Nei laughed. "Oh lemmi look Royce." Aeka pleaded. "I'll be fine." He said sourly and sat down by Rinoa. "She didn't mean to." Rinoa said comforting and offered him napkin from her purse. Aeka sat away from them sulking, she'd only meant to show him some of what she'd learned. "Five more weeks before final exams." One of the students shouted proudly before downing a beer the size of small child. "I can't wait." Royce laughed. "I just hope I pass the SEED exam." "You will." Rinoa assured him. "Aeka quit moping and come over here." She called sternly upon noticing the girl's absence. "Sorry." Aeka said meekly and shuffled over. "No one's mad at you." Rinoa laughed and elbowed Royce. "Tell her you're not mad." "But I am..." He started but Rinoa slapped him in the back of the head. "Not mad." He finished, cutting Rinoa a scalding look. "Hey where's that Fujin chick." One of the students wondered aloud. "She's not the social type." Aeka explained. "How would you know." Royce asked. "I talk to her." Aeka answered simply. Rinoa felt the urge to comment but was through dealing with the subject. "She's a Treppie I figured she'd be here." Royce said slightly hurt by her absence. Rinoa rolled her eyes and got up. "Where ya going?" Aeka asked. "For a walk the music's giving me a headache." "Want some company?" Aeka offered. "Nah I'll be right back, I'm going to see if Nikki wants to join us." "She still missing Zell huh." Celest said as she staggered clumsily through the crowd towards her. "Whoa." Rinoa caught the intoxicated redhead. "You're wasted." Rinoa laughed. "It's a party hon, that’s the name of the game." "Whatever, come on you can go with me, you need to walk some of that off before you embarrass yourself." "Me embarrass myself?" Celest looked offended and hiccuped. "On second thought, you stay here if security finds you like this we'll spend the night in the detention hall." "Oh phish." Celest scoffed. "I'll be fine." "I dunno." Rinoa eyed her warily. "Let's just go." Celest took her by the arm and led her out through the small passage leading back into the training center. "So help me if you get us busted." Rinoa threatened. "You worry to much." Celest giggled and tripped, she grabbed Rinoa to steady herself but to no avail. They both fell into the small stream that ran through area. "Oh damnit!" Rinoa shouted as she pulled herself out of the water. "Hey I slipped, no need to yell." Celest laughed. "Ugh." Rinoa threw her hands into the air and trudged off up the trail. "Hey wait up!" Celest called and stumbled after her." ************ "Count yourself lucky that she's in her office this late." Quistis chimed brightly to Selphie as they took a seat in Doctor Kadowaki's waiting room. "Lucky me, I think you're overreacting here." Selphie said gloomily. "We'll see." "I hate going to the doctor." "I noticed." "She has cold hands, like a corpse." Selphie shivered. "That's just gross. Be quite." "They're huge too." Selphie said in a haunting tone. "Would you hush." Quistis giggled. "Lemmi go home, please." Selphie all but begged. "I'm just trying to look out for you Selph." "Here I figured you where trying to get back at me." "Back at you!?" Quistis turned to regard her with a dumbfounded expression. "For what?" "I dunno, all that stuff with Fujin." Selphie shrugged. "Oh yeah, well I've accepted you guy's will never get along." Quistis smiled weakly. "So what's the deal with you two anyway?" "What do you mean?" Quistis said cautiously. "She's so hateful and you two have nothing in common." "She's really not mean if you take the time to know her. As for things in common, you'd be surprised." "I'll take you're word for it." Selphie eyed her suspiciously. "I wonder what's taking the Doc so long." Quistis looked about. "Probably sharpening her tools." Selphie said dully. "Please." Quistis shook her head and checked her watch; she still had a couple of hours before she had to meet Xu and Nida. "Quistis, Selphie?" Dr. Kadowaki said curiously as she walked into the waiting room. "What can I do for you two?" She said with a grin. Selphie got up intending to leave. Quistis grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and pulled her back. "She's not feeling well." Quistis smiled. "Oh I see." The doctor chuckled. "Come with me please, lets see if we can't figure out what's wrong." She smiled and gestured for Selphie to follow. "Er." Selphie stood still. Quistis shoved her lightly. "Go on you goof." "Selphie, I don't think I've seen you in my office since the day you arrived." "For a reason." Selphie mumbled. "Pardon?" "Nothin Doc." Selphie beamed cutely. "I'll be waiting here for ya hon." Quistis waved. As Selphie vanished through the doorway she poked her head out and feigned being choked before disappearing again. Quistis laughed brightly and started a search for a magazine to occupy her time. *************** "I refuse to die like this." Archibald hissed from his hiding place in a mountain of dung. "Shut up you fool before it hears you." Luccian snapped from a small burrow a few feet away. A small little humanoid walked quietly among the underbrush nearby. It had a green, turtle-like head with beady yellow eyes. The Long brown robe it wore had a variety of magical patterns woven in it and in its hand it held a long staff. At the end of which was a small lantern that glowed with an eerie green light. "Why are we hiding from that thing, look at it, its retarded. If it starts something we'll just bonk it on the head." Archibald whispered harshly. "Just be quiet, I don’t want to take any chances. This place has to many surprises" "Oh please." Archibald grumbled then made a face. "Whoa holy crap!" "Shut up!" "I found Zell's credit card." Archibald smirked. Luccian plopped his head onto the dirt with a sigh. "Oh man you don't think..." Archibald looked terrified. "Dude what if. "So help me I'm going to kill you myself!" Luccian snapped. The little thing stalking about heard him and spun around and withdrew a small knife from its robes. "See what you did it heard us!" Archibald yelled in anger and climbed out of his foul smelling hiding place. Luccian tore at his hair in quiet fury before joining him to face the creature. "What do ya reckon it is." Archibald scratched his head looking down at the little thing as it stood watching them a few feet away. "It's not doing anything." Luccian took a step back. "Lets just leave it alone then. Archibald shrugged. The thing moved forward, Archibald laughed aloud at the way it waddled when it walked. "Heh look at that, cute lil guy ain't he." "That thing is creeping me out lets go." Luccian eyed it warily. "Oh come on it's a easy kill, I'm tired of running from everything." Archibald drew his staff and charged the thing. "Hey wait!" Luccian shouted. Archibald leapt into the air and brought the metal head of his staff down hard onto the little thing's head. The creature didn't make a noise as it fell over on its back flailing its stumpy legs. "See piece of cake." Archibald laughed and gave Luccian the thumbs up. Something poked him in the leg. "Ouch." He said sourly and looked down. The critter had stabbed him with its tiny knife. "Why you little..." He started then fell over unconscious. "HYNE!?" Luccian staggered back horrified. The thing ignored him and continued walking about as if lost. Luccian watched it a moment unsure what to do. He couldn't tell if the thing was even looking at him. He moved cautiously to Archibald. He checked for a pulse and was terrified to find that his friend was on the verge of death. "Arch!? Shit!" He fumbled in his pockets in a near fit. Finding what he was searching for he withdrew a small golden feather. He gave a sigh of relief and jammed the quill into Archibald's chest. The feather flared into a burst of fiery light then vanished. Screaming in pain and coughing violently Archibald sat up as if shocked. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!?" He roared. "Thing, damn near killed you, you idiot!" Luccian screamed back and looked for the creature, he was terrified when he couldn't find it. "Where is it!" He shouted. "I don't know." Archibald jumped to his feet and grabbed his weapon. "Let's get out of here." Luccian said quietly, his eyes darting about. "Behind you!" Archibald shouted and shoved his friend bodily with the end of his staff sending him flying backwards. The little thing had come up behind Luccian with the intent of stabbing him. "Let's get out of here!" Luccian said evenly and took off at a run. "Right behind you!" Archibald shouted in agreement and jumped over the tiny figure. The thing watched them a moment then resumed its merry wanderings. ******************** Zell tiptoed through the underbrush. The object of his quest lay a scant couple of feet away. A pseudo Dragon sat perched atop a nearby stump quietly grooming itself with its long tongue. Long and slender it was the size of a small cat. With its rainbow hued scales and large blue eyes the creature was a beauty to behold. Zell knew it would be the perfect gift for his ladylove. He moved as close as he dared and tensed up, ready to leap. "GOTCHA." He yelled victoriously and landed just out of reach of the creature. The thing didn't even flinch and turned its long neck to face him. "Damn it." Zell yelled in frustration and scrambled to his feet. The critter snorted and blew gout of bluish sparkles in his face then flew away. Zell blinked and stood up. "Momma was a moogle, the starts in the fire are under white washed baby." He babbled incoherently and staggered about like a drunken fool. Squall walked out of the underbrush with a nest in hand. "Hey I found a nest." He said blandly. Zell walked towards him backwards. "Matron, coca in the red rimmed rock on 43 shoe prime, I tell you think not!" Zell shouted at the top of his lungs. "What?" Squall eyed him with growing suspicion then shook his head. "Damn it Zell." He sighed and smacked him hard on the back of the head. "Augh!? Man why'd you do that!" Zell snapped angrily, his mind clearing. "I told you quit going after the adult ones. You let it breath on you." "Oh damn sorry dude. Hey you found a nest." "Yeah here, lets go the hell home." "I'm with ya." Zell carefully took the nest and egg and wrapped it in a blanket he'd been carrying in a backpack. "Thanks man." He smiled brightly at Squall and moved to hug him. "Ack!" Squall slid out of the way and settled for a handshake. "Don't mention it." ************** Quistis was about asleep when a blood curling scream startled her awake. She nearly fell out of her chair trying to get up and ran to the back of the doctor's office. "Selphie!" She yelled, in fright as she made her way to her. She burst into the room to find Doctor Kadowaki sitting in a chair a few feet from Selphie, who sat on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chest, shaking her head. "What happened." Quistis looked back and forth confused. " I heard a scream." "That would be your friend there." The doctor said rubbing her ears tenderly. "Selphie?" Quistis said cautiously. "Is everything okay?" Selphie shook her head madly. "What..." Quistis looked horrified and turned to face the doctor. "It's not for me to say." The doctor said bluntly. "I can’t believe this." Selphie mumbled hauntingly. "Believe what!?" Quistis all but yelled. "Are you sick, dying, what!?" Selphie raised her head and mumbled incoherently. "What is it Selphie? You're scaring me here." Selphie took a deep breath and struggled to fight back tears. "I'm pregnant." She said stiffly. "Oh that’s all." Quistis sighed and wiped her brow. "YOU'RE WHAT!?" She abruptly screamed as it sank in. "You two want to keep it down please." Doctor Kadowaki sighed. ******************* Nicole sat wrapped up in a blanket in front of the television. The movie she was watching wasn't interesting in the least and she only barely acknowledged it. "It's been barely two day's." She thought. She felt foolish for feeling like she did. But ever since Zell left she felt listless and sad. She missed him terribly and could not help but feel something was wrong. "Where'd you go." She mumbled. It would've been better if she'd known where he and Squall ran off too but no one knew anything and that scared her even more. There was a knock on the door and she ignored it at first. But then the creeping fear that it was Cid with bad news made her fly off the couch and yank the door open. She was both relived and disappointed at what greeted her. "Hey kiddo." Rinoa grabbed her in a hug. "Lo." Nicole said quietly. "Boo!" Celest shouted and poked her head in the door grinning ear from ear. "You stink of liquor." Nicole said simply and walked back to the couch. "Ohhh someone is in a crabby mood." Celest hissed playfully and hopped over the couch to sit beside her. "Not now please." Nicole sighed. "Hmpf fine then." Celest huffed and scooted away from her. "Oh you two calm down." Rinoa laughed and squeezed in-between them. "What's up." Nicole asking in a droning voice. "We'll the class has got together for a little party behind the training center. You want to come have some fun, hang out, be social?" "That's against the rules we'd get detention." Nicole sighed and grabbed the TV remote. "There's drinks." Celest smiled a goofy smile. "So I smelled. That would probably get us suspended and make us fail the course." "Ewww she's in a snotty mood." Celest whispered noisily to Rinoa. "Oh shut up." Rinoa rolled her eyes, grabbed a pillow off the edge of the couch and threw it at her. "Don't throw my stuff." Nicole said with a frown and switched channels on the TV. "There's nothing on." She grumbled. "All the more reason to come with us." Rinoa smiled. "It'll be fun, not everyone is drinking." She said smartly, and eyeing Celest. "I don't know those guys I'm not in you're class. Who would I talk to?" "Ahem!?" Celest frowned. "Hmm let's see. I'll be there, Aeka, Royce, and Celest over there if you're so inclined." "I don't think so guys, I'm not in the mood." "Come on hon, I know you miss Zell. I miss Squall too; they'll be back in a day or two tops. Squall promised." Nicole shrugged. "Oh don't be like that. You're going to end up like Quistis a moody grump." "Heavens from what I hear you don't wanna do that." Celest nodded knowingly, it makes ya frgid. "Celest." Rinoa sighed and looked at her sternly. "What!?" Celest looked shocked. "You're not helping hon." "Bah!" Celest scowled and fell back into the seat. "Thank you." Rinoa smiled. "Now then, come on Nikki it'll be fun once ya get out." "I don't know, what if I get a call." "You're obsessing." Rinoa said bluntly. "I am not." Nicole gave her a foul look. "Un Huh." Celest nodded quietly. "You two aren't going to leave me alone are you?" Nicole sighed. "Nope." Rinoa smiled. "Ha not at all." Celest confirmed. "Fine lets go then. Where's my shoe's?" Nicole relented and stood. "Here ya go." Rinoa smiled broadly handing her a pair of ragged tennis shoes. *********** Fujin knocked gently on Quistis's door; she was about to give up hope when she heard Irvine call to her from up the hallway. She turned and regarded him with a cautious gaze. "Hey lady." He said with a quiet smile, Fujin didn't know Irvine in the least but she could tell something was troubling him. Not that she cared but she did notice. "KINNEAS." She nodded. "Quisty's not home I take it." "NEGATIVE." Fujin said, her tone reserved and quieter than Irvine was used to. "Darn it. I can't find anyone, any clue where everyone is?" "NEGATIVE." "Selphie's been sick lately I hope she's not passed out somewhere." "UNLIKELY." "Yeah I hope so." He mumbled. "What are you up to?" "Why is he trying to talk to me?" She wondered and gave him a curious look. He didn't notice and was obviously preoccupied. So much in fact that he obviously didn't care who he talked to. "NOTHING." She responded. "Me too." "This is going no where." She sighed inwardly. A few months ago she would have just walked off but her time with Quistis had thought her to be patient with people. "Want go do something, watch a movie, go for a walk, I'm bored out of my skull here, and I'm worried to death about Selphie? I could use something to take my mind off things." "Is he coming on to me?" Fujin nearly panicked at the thought. "WHAT!?" She blurted taken completely off guard. "Eh yeah you're probably right I should try to find her." Fujin blinked, he'd actually confounded her. "Well thanks anyway, I'll go check the library. Let her know I'm looking for her if you see her." "AFFIRMATIVE." Fujin blinked again and watched him go. "KINNEAS!" She called. "Yeah?" He paused. "HOLD." She jogged over to him. "What?" "JOIN." She nodded and walked onward. She saw no point looking alone, perhaps they'd find Quistis also. Irvine shrugged and followed her. "So Fujin?" He asked. "WHAT?" "I noticed Quistis hasn't been hanging around lately." "CAREFUL." Fujin said with chilling bluntness. "Is she -that- mad at everyone?" "NEGATIVE." "Then what's the deal? Her, Selphie and Rinoa used to be inseparable." "ASK QUISTIS." "You're her friend I figured you had some insight." "NEGATIVE." She lied, having no desire to explain the details to him. "That sucks, everyone used to get along so well. I mean I know you and Selphie don't get along. But this mess Rinoa came out of no where." "INDEED." "So you don't know what that’s about then?" "NEGATIVE." "You know why Selphie doesn't like you?" "DO NOT CARE." "Ouch, well I'll tell you anyway." "IF MUST." "Well from what I gathered, which is easy because she rants about it all the time. She sees Seifer a willing pawn in the massacre at Trabia." "HALF-TRUTH." "I don't know myself, anyway she blames you for having a hand in what went down at Trabia." "FOOLISH." Fujin said simply. "Now why do you say that?" "WAS HERE." "What?" "WHEN TRABIA DESTROYED." "You left to be with Seifer, we saw you at in Galbadia." "LATER." "No one ever told me that." "DID YOU ASK." Fujin said with a condensing tone. "Well no." "NO ONE CARED." Fujin smirked, she knew she was right. Why would any of them bothered to tell the truth? Quistis, Selphie and Irvine had all been at the missile base when Trabia was destroyed. "Why didn't you say anything till now." "ASK OTHERS." In all this time no one ever bothered to ask if she was part of it. Everyone had just assumed so. "Why would they have not said anything." "MORE THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT." Fujin answered his question with chilling clarity. She was getting tired of this; it would not change anything. "I'm sure if asked they would have said something. It just never came up, I mean Squall has a lot on his mind. Zell, well he's a goof he wouldn't remember his name if it weren't on his underwear." "RINOA?" Fujin looked at him almost sadly; she felt as though she'd cast a light on some ugly truth that no one wanted to see. "I don't know." He said quietly. "I DO." Fujin smiled and continued walked, and leaving him to his thoughts. **************** Luccian and Archibald all but crawled to the ship. Battered and bruised they both felt as though they where on the edge of death. "We made it." Luccian cried out triumphantly. He pulled the security card from his pocket it and opened the cargo door of the Ragnarok. Archibald found the nearest bunk and collapsed in it and within moments he was snoring soundly. Luccian wasted no time, he found a terminal and called up the ship's internal scanners. He smiled ear to ear at what he saw. ******* Squall was tired, he hated the place ever since they stopped here two years ago. He was thankful when they entered the clearing where the Ragnarok was. Zell trudged up behind him wearily and paused, as Squall stood transfixed. "What's up boss?" Zell smirked and followed his gaze. Squall shook his head with a weary sigh and walked back down the trail. "Come on we're going to have to find shelter for the night." He said darkly. "What the hell...?" Zell stood mouth agape staring into the clearing. "Hurry." Squall snapped, as a terrible roar filled the air. "What the hell?" Zell screamed in shock and outrage, as he stood dumbfounded. "ZELL COME ON!!" Squall grabbed him by the shoulder as a reptilian monstrosity the size of a large building thundered into the clearing where the Ragnarok used to be.
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