Dust Fujin didn't know where to go or run. All she knew was that needed to get away, hide, and try to comprehend why Quistis would break her heart so. "How could she believe I'd choose him over her. Did she honestly think that I'd do that? Could she think so little of me? Does she not trust me or know me better than that?" She grew angry at the pain in her heart. "She was all to willing to give me up. Perhaps she doesn't care anymore?" "WHY?" She choked, and cursed herself for breaking down. Stopping her flight, she ducked into nearest vending room and collapsed into one of the seats. She buried her head in her arms on the table. Sobbing quietly, she tried to regain her composure. After a long moment she sniffed heavily and sat up, she despised herself and huffed in annoyance. Her expression was clouded and torn. She had no idea what to feel. She was hurt and furious at the same time, she ran Quistis's words through her head once more and moaned in disgust at the thought. "SEIFER." She sneered; once again he'd found a way to make her life miserable. "Seifer huh." Xu said quietly. Fujin looked about and found the woman standing in the doorway wearing an impassive expression. "GO AWAY." "Hi to you too." Xu smirked dryly, the woman was dressed in dark blue pajamas and her hair was a mess. With out another word she shuffled listlessly to one of vending machines to get a drink. Plopping some change in she pressed her selection. With a loud clunk the can fell and she retrieved it. "Powers out in my refrigerator." She explained dully, holding up the can. Fujin watched her warily as Xu sat down in front of her. "I saw you run in here, little late for a jog isn't it?" "ONLY EIGHT." Fujin sniffed. "Huh? Well that's what I get for working weird hours." Xu sighed and opened her soda. Fujin watched her but remained silent. "You know what?" Xu said curiously after a long drink. Fujin did not respond, instead she focused on something in the background, hoping the woman would leave. "Trouble huh? I take it he's better, Seifer I mean?" Xu sighed. Again, Fujin said nothing. "Yeah, Edea fried him good earlier today, you should have heard the screaming. We thought she killed him." "NOT SO LUCKY." Fujin mumbled, rubbing her eye with her palm. "Ouch, seems to be a lot of that around. He must have told you his new.." Xu paused and looked thoughtfully for a moment. "What did he used to say? Oh yeah, his new, romantic dream." Fujin felt as though she could vomit. "Don't make that face, it’s not attractive." Xu chuckled. "ANNOYING." Fujin grumbled. "I've been called worse. Did you tell Quistis?" Fujin bristled. "Uh Oh, so what? Is she going to kill him or something." Fujin glared hotly at her with no intention of talking about it.. "Wow, you really are fired up, I guess I'll leave you be then. Tell Quistis I said hi and that Cid tried to call Luccian again but was cut off. He's going to try again in the morning." "TELL HER YOURSELF." Fujin snapped. "Okay." Xu said with a cringe. "See you around." Fujin watched her go and rested her head in her hands in distress. Xu headed back to her quarters and paused about halfway there. "Damn it." She sighed and turned around. A few minutes later she found herself outside of Quistis's apartment. She ran a hand through her hair and knocked sharply. There was no answer so she tried again, this time harder. "Come on Quisty open up." She grumbled under her breath. Finally, just as she was about to get irritable, the door opened. "Yes." Quistis said hollowly, sticking her head out the door. "Want to talk about it?" Xu smiled faintly. "About what?" Quistis sniffed. "Right, move, let me in, I feel like a idiot standing out here barefoot in my pajama's." The short woman groused wiggling her way inside. "I'm not in the mood Xu." Quistis sighed. "Yeah that's what Fujin said, but I figure I have a better chance dealing with you." "You seen her?" "Oh yeah." Xu nodded broadly. "She's in a mood." "It's my fault, I'm a damned idiot." Quistis groaned in dismay before plopping heavily onto the couch. "I'm not going to argue that." Xu smirked good-naturedly. "What am I going to do, she hates me now." Quistis murmured as fresh tears start to well up. "Um hon, I can't help unless you tell me what happened." "I'm horrible, that’s what happened." "Your not horrible." "Yes I am!" Quistis shouted in dismay, she grabbed a cushion off the couch and flung it across the living room. "Feel better?" "No." "Want to tell me what happened? You two have a fight?" "I don't know what happened." "You're not making sense." "That's the whole point, I can't ever get anything right. I don't know why I even tried. I've ruined everything!" "Would you stop that!" "Stop what? Being a loser, being a idiot, you're right I should just stop trying." "Quistis!" Xu shouted in anger, she wasn't about to sit her and watch her friend verbally abuse herself. "What the hell happened?!" "It's a long story." Quistis said shamefully. "I have the time." Xu said with a sympathetic smile. She walked over and sat down by her friend and put an arm around her shoulder. "Tell me what happened." "It's Seifer." "I gathered that much, what about him?" There was a loud knock on the door. "Damn it!" Xu growled. Quistis stood to answer it and Xu bid her to sit. "I'll get it." She shuffled over to the door and opened cautiously. Seifer stood at the door panting heavily and smelling of sweat. The two guards she'd assigned to watch him stood at his side and looking more than annoyed. "What do you want?" Xu huffed. "Where's Quistis, I need her help." "What!?" Xu gawked. "She's been hanging out with Fujin, I need to talk to her. Perhaps she can get Fujin to listen to me!" He pleaded. "Ew." Xu mumbled. "What?" "Nothing, go away Seifer." "Let me talk to her." "No, buzz off." "I will not!" Xu said in a firm no nonsense tone. Seifer backed up eyeing her skeptically. "Oh, I get it! Quistis turned her against me." He said knowingly. Then exploded. "What did she say, what did she tell her!" Seifer shouted trying to poke his head in the door. "She didn't do anything you ape!" Xu shouted back. "She must have, Fujin won't even talk to me." "Gee it's probably because you're an asshole." "Why am I even talking to you, stand aside!" "Over my dead body." "Look I'm trying to be civil don't tempt me. Just move and let me talk to Quistis." He smiled toothily. "Take him back to his room!" Xu ordered. "Finally." The first guard sighed in relief. "Thanks Ma'am he's been a pain all afternoon." The other said, grabbing Seifer by the arm. "Lets go pal, date times over." "Unhand me, or so help me!" Seifer roared indignantly. "Seifer be a good boy, don't throw a fit, I'd hate to have to put you in a cell." Xu said in a motherly tone. "Whatever!" Seifer growled jerking his arm loose. "I'll go, but don't forget, you guys need me if you ever want to find out what Ultimecia is up to." "I think you're full of crap personally, but you've got Squall and Cid in a knot over it so go preach to them about it." "Bitch!" He scowled. "Hey watch the mouth, you ass." The first guard shouted. "Get him out of here." Xu sighed and shut then shut the door. "Now where were we?" She said warmly as she walked back to Quistis. "This is all my fault." Quistis shuttered. "I doubt that." "Fujin's been acting strange, ever since Seifer came back." "That's understandable." "Well somehow I got it in my head that she loved him." "Huh?" "Back when they used to hang out together, Fujin liked him but never said anything." "Let me guess, so he comes back professing his love and you figured Fujin would want to go to him." "I told her I wouldn't hold her back if she wanted to go to him." Quistis sighed sadly. "Did she ever say she still loved him?" "No." "Did you even ask her?" "No." "Then hon, to be honest that was stupid." Xu smiled sadly. Quistis broke out into tears. "There, there." Xu sighed, hugging her. "I tried to apologize." Quistis sniffled. "You have to look at it from her point of view silly. To Fujin it looked like you just gave up on her, like you wouldn't even fight to keep her. That and she's probably mad that you'd even think she'd be shallow enough to toss you aside." Xu explained. "Hell I know I'd be mad if Nida said some nonsense like that to me." "It's not like that, I just want what makes her happy." Quistis tried to explain. "Look, I know your heart was in the right place but you hurt her feelings and insulted her. You've got to quit doubting yourself, that’s the root of all this." "I don't.." Quistis started with a look of indignity. "Yes you do." "I.." "Yes." Xu nodded. "You know, your one of the most optimistic people I've ever met, except, when it comes you yourself. I don't know why, but you've a tendency to try and convince yourself that you’re some kind of horrible person destined to fail." Quistis's heart finally hit bottom, she had no tears to shed, nor did she try to defend herself. "I nearly killed myself." She said quietly. Xu's eyes nearly burst from their sockets. Sitting up she took a deep breath. "Oh." She said softly, unable to think of anything else. "I felt like I lost everything when Squall turned away from me. That and losing my license, then all my friends started going on with the lives. I had nothing, not future no one share my time with." Quistis said, her voice calm and serene. "I was there for you." Xu smiled weakly. "We were arguing, then. It got really bad though during the anniversary, I had a breakdown and Fujin found me. It was cute; she took care of me. I tried to pay her back. I made her dinner, she was so nervous. Even then I think we both felt something. Then she ran off, I scared her. I felt like I ruined everything. Anyway, my birthday came around and I um." She paused and took a deep breath. "I got up on the roof and nearly threw myself off. Then the damnedest thing happened, Fujin was there, I don’t know how. She stopped me and we talked, talked about a lot of things. Now I've ruined it, again." Quistis stood and walked over to the bag Fujin dropped. "I never knew you were that upset." Xu said sadly. "A rose." Quistis sighed. "What?" "A rose." Quistis said again, pulling a single white rose from the bag. "And a card. Oh Xu what have I done?" "Your not um, thinking about..?" Xu asked shakily. "Huh?" Quistis blinked the looked startled. "No, oh heavens no." "Sorry, I had to ask." "She says she loves me, and that she's sorry for being such a flake." Quistis said fondly, reading the card. "That's sweet." Xu said quietly. "It is, really. It's amazing, outside she tries so hard to be cold, hard, but inside she's so timid and vulnerable." Quistis said with a sad smile. "What are you going to do?" "I don't know, she must hate me now." "She doesn't hate you." Xu scolded. "She should." Quistis grumbled. "Oh stop that, go talk to her you nut." "I don't deserve her." "Quistis Trepe, so help me, if you don't get out there and find her, I'll kick your butt up and down these halls!" "What!?" "I mean it!" Xu shouted. "Xu?" Quistis blinked in shock as Xu started towards her threateningly. "Okay, I'll try." She sighed giving in. "Good girl, now get out of here." Xu smirked. ************************* Daria McGennis, mother of two, self proclaimed under achiever, fifteen years in the Dollet Police Department and still a beat cop. She couldn't complain though she had a rural route and the people were nice. Nothing ever happened this far out, sure the mountains were a pain to drive, especially in the winter but she managed. She'd gotten a call, a farmer claiming to hear an explosion. Of course with Czar Industries just a few miles away, explosions and the like were not unheard of. Either way HQ asked her to check it out. Her beat up and noisy cruiser rattled up the dusty road leading to the weapons plant. It was getting dark outside, usually she'd bring backup, just in case, but that'd mean she'd get home even later. The lights were out at the plant and that made her nervous. Usually the place was lit up like a city. But now all was dark and still, the huge buildings stood silent in the growing darkness like tombstones. Daria pulled up to the front gate and stopped, leaving her lights on she got out of her car cautiously. "Hello?" She called warily, her hand resting comfortably on her gun. The guardhouse was empty and that made her even more nervous. Hello, this is DLPD is any one here?" She said to a speaker by the gate. A noise, more like a roar. If she didn't know better she would've thought it from a lion. With a frown she went back to her cruiser and got a shotgun, no point taking chances, monsters were fairly common this far from the city. Walking gingerly she approached the gate only to find it locked. "Odd." She frowned. The place seemed abandoned but that was impossible, as far as she knew the factory wasn't closed. "Can I help you officer." A mercurial voice said from the darkness beyond the gate. Daria hopped back and raised her weapon. "Who's there?" She said firmly. "Easy officer, what seems to be the problem." A man appeared from the shadows and watched her from the other side of the gate. "You work here?" The officer asked shining her light at him. He was a young man, clean cut handsome, with dark eyes. He was dressed in a sleek business suit like an executive. "Of course." The man smiled and pointed to a badge on his lapel. "Luccian is it? What's going on, we had a report of an explosion." "Yes ma'am, apparently there was minor accident in one of the factories. "Accident?" "Yes." "Where's everyone at, and what's with the power?" "If you mean the guards they're probably switching shifts. As for the power, well that would be because the explosion shorted out our lines." "Un huh." The woman was no fool she could tell something was amiss. "Care if I look around?" "Sorry Officer I can't allow that." "And why is that?" "Sensitive hardware, top secret kind of stuff, surely you understand." "To bad, open the gate." "Not unless you have a warrant." "Is that how it is?" "I'm afraid so, goodnight officer." "I'll be back." She said sharply before heading back to her cruiser. "I'm looking forward to it." Luccian smiled as he melted back into the darkness. *************************** Quistis stepped off the Elevator and walked into the chamber that led to Fujin's room. Fujin was waiting for her and the foul look on her face spoke volumes. "GO AWAY." Fujin sniffed, hugging an old, tattered, plush mog to her chest. Quistis looked down in shame. "You've a right to be mad, I know." "NO YOU DON'T!" Fujin shouted abruptly causing Quistis to flinch. "Then tell me." Quistis said softly. "WHAT THINKING!?" "I don't know. Fu, I was wrong, more than wrong, I was stupid. I honestly thought that you wanted to go back to..." "SHUT UP!" Fujin shouted again, bringing her hands up to cover her ears. Her pale face glistened with tears as she turned away. Quistis let out a deep shuttering sigh. "I'm making a mess of this." "DON'T KNOW ME." Fujin said bitterly. "I'm learning, but you keep things buried, I have to go on my instincts hon." Quistis frowned sadly. "And to be honest, we both know I apparently lack common sense when it comes to things like this." Fujin huffed but said nothing. "Talk to me, let me in. You say I don't know you, but I've started, it's that part of you I fell in love with, you know that. Don't give up on me." "YOU GAVE UP ON ME." Fujin sighed. "No, Fu, never." Quistis cried out softly. "YOU THOUGHT SEIFER." Fujin coughed angrily. "WOULD MAKE HAPPY." She said in disbelief. She turned back around to face Quistis with a sorrowful scowl. She dropped the mog and moved closer, into the dull, blue light. "YOU WANT TO KNOW ME?" She said harshly. Quistis nodded, her own face streaked with tears. Fujin paced a moment trying to gather her thoughts. "LOVED SEIFER, TRUE, LONG AGO." Fujin said in a flurry. "THEN, LEARNED BETTER." Her voice cracked from the strain and she started coughing harshly. Quistis moved to her but she held up a hand to stop her. "HE WAS, WORSE, WORSE THAN KNOW." Her voice was taking on an accusing tone. "Fu." Quistis sighed, broken hearted. "CRUEL, WORDS, ACTS. HE WAS BITTER." Fujin sighed and sat down against the wall. "TOOK OUT ON ME." Fujin shrugged. "FELT COULD TAKE IT." Quistis stood quietly, unsure how to react as Fujin continued. "TAUNTING ME, FLAUNTING HIS GIRLS." She finished then grew silent, she sat unmoving for a long while but Quistis waited, quite and attentive. With a deep breath Fujin nodded as if coming to terms with something then continued. "ONE DAY." She said in a haunted tone as her hand went up to remove her eye patch, revealing the gnarled scar that took the place of her left eye. "HE DID THIS." She smirked dryly. "You told everyone you had fallen down the cliff." Quistis said in a subdued, shocked voice. "ALL BELIEVED LIE." "But why, why did you cover for him, why did you stay!?" Quistis cried out in outraged horror. "WHERE WOULD I GO? WHO WOULD HAVE ME?" Fujin sniffed dully as she replaced her patch. "WAS LIKE FAMILY." Try as she might, more tears came and she wiped them away angrily. Quistis felt a murderous rage well up within her and realized that she was shaking She wanted nothing more than to find Seifer and kill him cold. Fujin studied her for a moment then smiled a sad, knowing smile. "BURIED THAT DEMON." She sighed. "Fujin he has to pay, how can you sit there so calm, he's, he's!" Quistis stammered unable to find a word fitting. "and you told me to go back." Fujin said, her voice was trembling and barely audible. The words and the weight of their meaning hit Quistis like a knife to the heart. Fujin buried her face in her knees and sobbed quietly, leaving Quistis standing in a sea of misery and self-loathing. "Fujin, I, I should have known better, I'm sorry." She said softly, with regret hanging heavily in her voice. "You've every right to hate me, I.." She stopped talking and bit her lip in fear that she'd just make things worse. Taking a tentative step forward she reached out to touch Fujin's shoulder. Fujin flinched away at the touch and Quistis wanted to die in that very instance. "Do we have a chance anymore?" She whispered, trying desperately not to shatter. Fujin didn't even look up; a small, timid shrug was all she could manage as her shoulders heaved with quiet sobs. "I'm sorry Fu, oh Hyne I'm so sorry, no matter what happens at least believe that, and that I love you." Quistis said shakily, unable to take anymore she turned and rushed out of the room and into the elevator. Her hands fumbled at the elevator's buttons. The doors shut and she collapsed onto the floor in tears.
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