Angel in the dark She walked calmly, as the storm attacked everything in its path with hellish wind and icy rain. It was a like a god whose fury ran unchecked in the darkness. Lightning split the sky, illuminating the dark waves that grew larger and far more threatening with every moment. Yet she walked unafraid. The storm howled it’s fury and attacked the aged and tortured bridge upon which she strode. It’s steel bones whined in dismay at the assault. It had endured such assaults in the past and would be tortured still for years to come. The cold rain soaked her simple gown making it cling to every supple curve. Yet she did not care and still continued her silent trek. ***************************** She was dying. She knew she had little time. "Not like this" She whispered weakly between feeble sobs. The storm heard not here pleas nor did it care as it slowly destroyed her. Water was pooling where she lay, near the steps and building. She felt a wave of shame as she realized she would probably drown in the puddle before succumbing to the elements. She tried to move sending white flashes of pain in her mind. Her shoulders shook as she tried to rise. The wind howled seeming contempt and hammered her back into submission. She collapsed face first with as gasp. She raised her head coughing up a foul mixture of mud and ocean water. She managed to curl up in a fetal position and rested her head on her arm. Her mind went to the friend she had left behind at the garden. She could feel the darkness creeping closer, calling her. "I’m sorry Quistis." She whispered and closed her eyes." "What ever for my love?" A soothing voice said softly, a warm a hand ran its fingers through her hair. "Poor thing, your so tired." Fujin opened her eye, her expression was one of resignation rather than surprise. She slowly stood and shook the hair from her face. "Its you." She said softly. "Who else would it be love." Quistis said with a sad smile. "Love. It sounds so simple when one admits it." Fujin said with a tragic grin. "We spend so much time worrying about trifling things, we don’t see what we need to make us happy." Quistis said with a tinge of regret. She stepped forward took Fujin’s hands in hers. "We barely knew each other." Fujin breathed, a tear rolling down her cheek. Quistis leaned and kissed it away. Fujin closed her eye and trembled. "I know, but it’s one of those funny things. Sometimes it just happens, I think we both knew it that night on the balcony." Quistis said with a soothingly and gently reached with open arms. Fujin took a tentative step then collapsed into her embrace sobbing softly. "Don’t cry beauty please don’t cry." "Why’d it have to be this way." Fujin murmured. "We were not ready to explore what we meant to each other." She placed a delicate hand under the girls chin lifting her gaze to meet hers. Fujin’s heart raced, she had never felt this way, she was frightened. Quistis’s expression soothed, her calmed her, brought her a warmth she never knew. "But here, now." Quistis whispered. "We know how we feel." She leaned down slowly her diamond blue eyes glimmering. Fujin sighed closing her eye letting herself give in, her lips parted invitingly. "It’s time love." Quistis said sadly. Fujin opened her eye and was startled to see that Quistis was standing far away from her. "Why?" She cried in dismay. Quistis looked at her with tears in her eyes. "You need to be going." She said softly. "I don’t understand." Fujin whimpered and tried to walk to her, only trip. She collapsed to her knees. She reached out calling her name as Quistis turned and walked into the storm. "I don’t want to lose you! Not now!" Fujin begged, her heart shattering. "Then don’t" Quistis whispered in her mind over the growing wind. Fujin collapsed into tears her whole body shaking. It was getting darker and she felt the cold biting her. She raised her head to call out one last time hoping, begging. "I don’t want to be alone anymore." She pleaded softly, then she saw it, what had stopped her, what she tripped over. She grew cold. "NO!" She screamed in horror as she saw her own limp and broken form lying in the rain. Fujin’s eye tore open and she screamed a silent scream. The wind responded with it’s own roar battering her. She hauled herself to her knees, pain coursed through her body threatening to end her life then and there. She growled and concentrated on the pain and fed on it. With a cry she clawed her way along the ground towards the wayfarer station. Her mind and body burned equally, she was feverish and could hardly think. She pulled herself up the steps and paused to rest. The rain pounded her mercilessly she could feel her scorched skin flaying under its attack. She glared at the welded door that led inside and tried to focus. Her whole body shook as she concentrated, trying to call the spell to mind. Magic was difficult to begin with but was all but impossible in her present condition. She began to weaken and tire, her brief burst of strength quickly fading. "DAMN!" She screamed in fury. Almost as if on cue a large icy javelin materialized before her. Then just as quickly it streaked to the door slamming it open. Fujin collapsed in relief, but only briefly, before crawling for the doorway. She made it in and was in a near frenzied state. With a grunt she kicked the remains of the door shut with her good leg. Then pushed over a nearby coat rack to keep it shut. She barely acknowledged the quickly melting spear. Not what she intend but she was happy for anything. She let herself rest a moment, the building sounded like it was going to be hammered apart but she didn’t worry about it. She was too tired, too hungry, and in too much pain to care about anything but sitting still a moment. "No." She told herself, realizing if she didn’t take care of business she would probably die within the hour. She clawed to the nearest table and beat the hell out of it with her fist until it fell apart. Satisfied she took a few promising pieces and set them aside. She hated what she had to do next. She looked at her ankle and carefully pried her shoe and sock off. Her whole foot was a bloated nasty black and purple mass. With a purposeful grunt and no time to reconsider she grabbed her ankle in both hands and snapped it back into position. Her eye rolled in its socket as white hot motes of pain seared her sanity. She was beginning to think being dead was better. She thought of Quistis then shook her head, she would worry about that later. She removed her shirt and ripped it to shreds leaving her in her sports bra. Working quickly she used it’s remains to make a brace from the wood fragments. Her chore complete she breathed a sigh of relief. She felt better but unconsciousness was singing its siren song to her she had to hurry. Now that she was indoors and could think clearly she closed her eye and brought her last healing spell to mind. She felt the soothing warmth grow over her, seeking her wounds and mending them as best it could. It was not enough to heal her ankle fully but her skin cleared and the overwhelming pain gave way to a dull ache. down. The feeling was near orgasmic, her head rolled back and she collapsed once again into unconsciousness. ************************* Quistis awoke with a moan. Sitting up she rubbed her temples groggily. "Just a dream." She murmured in dismay. Looking around she had no idea where she was. She trailed her fingers over the satin sheets that where draped about her. She noticed the pictures on the small night-stand beside the bed and remembered. She recalled coming here but she did not know how. She fell back on the bed and looked up she was worried now. The dream scared her, she did not even consider the possibility that Fujin could be dead. She held deep feelings for her. She was adult enough to admit that much to herself, but not to anyone else. How far she was willing to explore those feelings however she was not sure. "Too late now though. Not that it matters." She frowned at the thought. She knew if she let herself believe that she had and chance at happiness she would not do what needed to be done. "Who knows perhaps I can see her then." She thought. "Just a dream." She whispered again with a sad sigh. She could feel the beast creeping back upon her. She brought her hands to her face trying not to let it back into her mind. *************************** It had been a half and hour since class started. The students where oddly quiet, no one really said anything but they where all a bit worried. Rinoa more than anyone. She never knew Quistis to be late or even call in sick. No one had seen her since yesterday and she was getting a horrible feeling something was very wrong. She had tried to get her to open up to her, talk to her, something, but to no avail. She knew Quistis was a bit resentful towards her relationship with Squall. She had tried to be friends with her and to a degree they where, they couldn’t help but be after all they went through together. Rinoa knew she had no real way to help Quistis through her problems. But she wanted to be there for her as best she could. It angered her to feel so helpless while someone she held dear disintegrated. She slammed her hand on her desk and stood, drawing startled looks from her fellow students. Royce looked at her suspiciously. "What are you up?" He said with his rich island accent. Rinoa looked absently then looked into his dusky brown eyes. "Nothing hon, I am going to see if Xu knows where Quistis is." She smiled warily and walked to the classroom door. The door opened right as she reached it, she stopped and took a step back as Edea entered the room. The class broke out into hushed whispers. Even Luccian looked impressed. "EDEA!?" Rinoa gasped, the she flushed at her out burst. Edea smiled her ever haunting smile. "Calm thyself child least you age before you years." She said calmly as she walked past her and to Qusitis’s desk. Rinoa meekly sat back down feeling like a buffoon. Edea wore a simple black dress shirt and skirt, her raven black hair was held back behind her by a single jade hair clip. Quite a different and dramatic look for her Rinoa thought. Luccian whistled low and elbowed Archibald earning a all to dangerous look from the matron of the garden. "Miss Trepe is feeling under the weather, so I will be teaching your course today." She said evenly More hushed whispers amid the students and the Treppies seemed about to burst with worry. Aeka stood up abruptly. "Is she okay?! I mean she’s not going to die or anything is she! That would be just horrible, I mean I don’t know what I would do. She’s like a roll model to me, she’s like the mother I never had! Can we see her? I need to get her a present! Oh my what if she is already dead and they are just waiting the right time to tell us!" She exploded into tears. Rinoa slumped in her chair embarrassed at the girls outburst. Edea walked over to the small young woman. She touched the girls shoulder comfortingly. "Worry not child." Her eyes drifted to fix on Rinoa’s as she still regarded the sobbing girl. "She is in capable hands." Rinoa stared back, she knew Edea was talking to her more than anyone else. "Ah who cares where she is." Luccian droned in annoyance, he was fed up with this idol worship nonsense. Everyone looked at him some in shock, some downright insulted. "I’m serious people! For Hyne’s sake look at yourselves." Archibald scooted away from him not wanting any of the inevitable heat from his outburst. Edea arched a brow and regarded him. Rinoa glared at him and stood. He did likewise though he had no intention of tangling with Rinoa. He did not fear her, but Squall was another story. He had no illusions of his chances against him. That didn’t keep him from speaking his mind. "I’ll I hear theses days is Trepe this Trepe that. You people act like she a deity or something. It’s ridiculous, sad really. You would think we where all children here." Royce stood up calmly. "That’s about enough out of you Luccian. You are doing your position a great indignity." "Me??" Luccian gawked then laughed. "Your one to talk you jackass your worse than any of them. Fawning on her like a lovesick idiot." Aeka burst into tears again and Royce blanched speechless. "Yeah truth hurts doesn’t it." Luccian spat with a wicked grin. "Your horrible!" Rinoa shouted and moved towards him, her fists clenched. "Oh and what’s your deal girl? Who do you think your fooling coming into this class like your one of us." Luccian folded his arms looking down at her as she stalked towards him. "Shut up!" She screamed. "Why? You going to sic your boyfriend on me?" He laughed again, his anger emboldened him "Shut up!" She could feel herself losing it. "Yeah, yeah here you come down here with us rabble trying to be one of us. Tell me girl do you know what suffering is. I know your story girl we all do." He gestured to the class who stood in shocked silence. "Poor little rich girl thinks she knows the real world. Get outta my face. You think your some sort of hero. We all know you rode Squall’s coattails. Hell at least Quistis is one of us I may not like her but I respect the woman. You, your shit, get the hell out of here." He looked at her disgusted and turned to storm out. Royce leapt at him, his normally peaceful exterior shattered. "You son of a!" Edea had seen enough. "Silence." She said simply, everyone was blown off their feet by a intense force. "This foolishness is at a end children." She said softly, her face calm. "You are all supposed to be better than this. To fight amongst yourselves is foolish and pointless. I am disappointed in you all." "Luccian, you are from this point on removed from the Disciplinary Committee." "What!? You can’t do that you witch! Your not even in charge." He roared in outrage and jumped up. Everyone scattered to the far corners of the room. Rinoa stood and looked on in surprise at his impulsiveness. "Do not presume to tell me anything boy." She said with only a faint hint of anger. "I presume to say my mind and you can’t stop me." He moved towards her. Archibald looked at him horrified. "What the hell are you doing man!?" He hissed under his breath. Luccian stood face to face with Edea and glared at her. Rinoa felt she would strike him dead at any moment. Edea instead only regarded him almost sadly. "Such potential, to be clouded by such anger and self loathing, it’s a pity." She whisperd. Luccian’s eyes thinned dangerously. "Your disillusioned Matron. I plan to live up to my potential and I will remember." He stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him. Edea turned and walked back to Quistis’s desk. Everyone stood stupefied and shaken. "Back to your seats children and we shall begin." She said evenly.
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