SNOW RIDGE. "Thanks for taking the time to fly us out here on such short notice Zell." Quistis called merrily from her seat. "You can thank Nicole she said she’d never speak to me again if I didn’t." Zell huffed from the pilot’s chair. "Either way thanks I owe you." "No problem. Question though?" "What’s that?" "Why the heck you want to go all the way out here for it’s in the middle of nowhere." "It’s a classic resort, great view, fine skiing, classy restaurant." "Yeah well, but it’s freezing, think about all the fun you could be having in Dollet Beach, tropical breezes, great parties, surf and sun it’s awesome." "Sounds a little to noisy for me, I’m looking for something tamer, besides Fujin hates the sun, being so pale and all." "Oh yeah, what’s up with that Teach, why are you taking her along?" Quistis folded her arms and sighed softly. "Well to be honest, she’s having a hard time lately. Trying to fit in, dealing with her only remaining family leaving and now the hassle of finishing her SEED training." "So, what’s that got to do with you?" "She my friend." "That’s news to me?" "Yeah, well she is." Her tone grew serious. "It’s cool, just didn’t notice you hanging out much till recently." "You’ve been occupied lately." "Well that’s true, Nicole is a handful." "Funny she says the same about you." "Hey now." He said indignantly. Quistis grinned at him with a bright smile. "Anyway, I thought she could use a break, since people where giving her grief." "That’s why she left to begin with wasn’t it?" "Something like that." She murmured. "Where the heck did she go anyway?" "She went in the back to lay down. I don’t think flying agrees with her." "What does." Zell mumbled under his breath. "Tell Selphie I’m disappointed at her for what she did." "I don’t think she cares, considering her state of mind lately. Her and Kinneas have been going at it all weekend." "What, why?" "His flirting is beginning to make her jealous from what I can tell. I overheard Rinoa and Nikki talking about it." "Oh dear, that’s not good." "Yeah well that’s the way relationships go I guess." "I suppose." "Speaking of which, when you going to find a fella and hook up?" "I dunno." She slumped slightly. "Well, pretty lady like you, whoever you choose will be the luckiest guy in the world." He turned around and gave her a wink. Quistis smiled softly. "Flatterer." "Just telling the truth Ma’am." "Stop that." "What, telling the truth? "No calling me Ma’am or Miss Trepe." "Sorry I’ve been trying to stop that." "I’m not your teacher anymore Zell." "I know." He shrugged. "I respect you, that’s all." "Thanks." "For what?" "You’re a good man." "I do my best." "Nicole’s lucky she found you." "Who’s the flatterer now eh?" He chuckled. "Caught me." She grinned. "HA! You love me." He laughed. "Ulp you caught me." She joked and stood. "Where you off to?" "I’ll be back, I’m going to see how Fujin’s doing." "No prob." Quistis stepped into the elevator and soon was exiting onto the lower levels of the shuttle. The interior of the shuttle was large and spacious. Originally the Ragnarok was a combination combat and transport shuttle, a function it still served but the residents of Balamb had converted several sections in order to make trips more comfortable. Quistis heard the sound of soft music coming from one of the small sleeping alcoves. Moving quietly she came up to it and saw Fujin sleeping peacefully, a small radio nestled by her pillow. Quistis smiled down at her the dim light of the chamber casting her face in shadows. She closed her eyes a moment as a faint longing tickled the edges of her mind. She sighed softly then knelt. With motherly care she gently ran her fingers through young woman’s hair. She was warm and slightly paler than usual. "Poor thing." Quistis thought. Fujin mumbled cutely and curled into a ball. Quistis giggled quietly as she picked up a folded up blanket from the foot of the bed. With utmost care she draped it across her ailing friend. She kissed her lightly atop the head and carefully moved the radio so she wouldn’t roll over onto it. She stood a moment watching her sleep, a peaceful smile on her lips. It had been so long since she had a chance to care for someone. Over the last week she found that she cared a great deal for Fujin, perhaps more than she should. She sighed as she tried to deal with the bittersweet torment of the unsure and fearful. "QUISTIS." Fujin muttered, almost to quiet to hear. "Yeah hon?" Quistis answered slightly startled. "THANK YOU." Fujin coughed and drew the blankets closer about her. "It’s okay Fu, you get some rest you’ll feel better once we land." Fujin nodded softly as she fell back asleep. "Well how’s the patient?" Zell asked as Quistis reentered the cockpit. "She’s a little airsick I think." She answered as she slipped back into her seat "Tough girl like her." "She’s only human Zell." "Heh coulda fooled me." He said smartly. "Zell." Quistis said dangerously. "Okay, okay, sheesh, I’m just kidding around." "Fujin has it hard enough without people calling her names and mistreating her." "After what she did when she hung around Seifer, the Disciplinary Committee hounded me left and right." "That’s all in the past." Quistis arched a brow and smiled devilishly. "Beside if I recall most of the times you deserved it." "Bah." "Uh huh I thought so." ****************** Aeka waited a moment then knocked again on Quistis’s door. "Where is she?" She pondered, almost worrying. "Aeka?" Rinoa called from up the hall, she quickly kissed Squall on the cheek and handed him the bags in her arms. He nearly dropped them and the ones he had. "I’ll catch up, you go on to the apartment." She told him as she hurried up the hall. "Hey wait a minute?" He called to her as he juggled the bags. "I’ll catch up silly, I want to talk to Aeka." She called back. "Whatever." He grumbled as he hurried to his quarters. "Aeka what’s wrong?" Rinoa looked down at the girl. "I was wanting to talk to Miss Trepe." She pouted. "She’s gone on vacation for the next few days." Rinoa said apologetically. "Huh she is, is she not teaching class this week?" "Oh no one told the class. Darn it Cid, he needs to pay more attention." "Edea will be teaching your class again this week." "Oh." Aeka replied her voice sullen. "Yeah she and Fujin." Rinoa made a bewildered face. "If you can believe if you can believe it left for some resort up north." "Miss Fujin?" Rinoa laughed lightly. "Yeah that’s what I said. Quistis is trying to help her fit in, apparently reforming Fujin is her new pet project or some such." She shrugged. "After they get back Fujin is supposedly going to be in our class." "Wow." Aeka said quietly. "Really, what a mess that’s going to be huh?" "Mess." Aeka mumbled knowingly. "You okay? Anything I can help with." Rinoa offered warmly. "Huh? No, It’s okay just wanted to check on her after she got in trouble with Xu." "Eww, yeah that was bad. It’s all that damn Luccian’s fault." Rinoa scowled. "He’s a jerk." "That’s putting it mildly. Anyway, sorry but I have to run. Squall liable to get his diapers in a knot if I don’t hurry up." She giggled. "Okies thanks for filling me in." "My pleasure, see you in class." Rinoa waved as she darted off up the hall. Aeka looked at Quistis’s door and pondered a long moment. Slowly a huge grin spread across her face. With a giggle she hurried up the hall to her room. *********************** The Ragnarok landed without much fuss in the middle of the parking lot of the resort. It’s massive claw like landing gear touching down carefully between parked cars and vans. The landing ramp opened and lowered to the pavement in gout of steam. Fujin was the first one out as she leapt from the top step onto the ground. She was thankful to be off the ship and was already feeling better. Zell soon joined her and pulled his collar up about his neck. "AW MAN! It’s freezing out here!" He jogged in place rubbing his hands together. "WIMP!" Fujin scoffed with a smirk. "Up yours ya goon" He barked sourly. "Children, children please behave." Quistis shouted in her teacher’s voice as she walked down the gangplank. "She started it." Zell sulked. "I’m finishing it." Quistis smiled as she hoisted her bag over her shoulder. She looked at Fujin and smiled. "Well here we are, what do you think?" "NICE." Fujin nodded as she looked out over the snowy expanse to the Snow Ridge hotel. The building was a quaint but sizable log structure with steep roofs and elegant lines. Towering evergreens loomed overhead and stretched over the horizon for as far as the eye could see. People mingled about on hooded balconies, she also noticed a great many of them where looking in their direction. "DRAWING ATTENTION." She said dryly and turned to Zell. "Eh yeah looks that way, I best be going." He said with a frown. "When do I come get you guys." "Four days around noonish" Quistis smiled and hugged him. "Thanks again Zell." "Yeah, Yeah your welcome." He pointed at Fujin and frowned warily. "You better not give her any trouble ya got that." Fujin just growled at him her expression unchanging. "Freak." He mumbled. Quistis smacked him in the back of the head lightly. "Watch the mouth." "Ow hey, why does everyone keep hitting me." "DESERVE IT." Fujin said idly. "Oh who asked you." He snapped. "Okay, Okay time to go." Quistis said with a sigh as she shepherded him to the gangplank. "Oh yeah like it’s my fault." He grumbled and made faces at Fujin who rolled her eye and turned her back to him. "Bye Zell thanks again." Quistis smiled. "Watch out for her she’ll prolly try to eat you in your sleep." He said loud enough for Fujin to hear. "Un Huh, fly safe Zell." "Aw man I always get crapped on, it ain’t half fair man." He kicked his foot in feigned annoyance as he clomped up the gangplank. Quistis laughed merrily as she waved bye. Soon the Ragnarok was nothing but a red glimmer in the sky. Quistis watched it a moment before walking over to Fujin and leaned against her playfully. "Ready to go Fu?" "AFFIRMATIVE." "Why do you say that?" "WHAT?" "Affirmative." "WHY DID YOU?" "Brat." Quistis laughed. Fujin simply smirked as they walked towards the lobby of the hotel. The lobby was a huge spacious chamber with towering ceiling and homey feel. Large fur rugs lay about entire room. While several cushy recliners sat around an immense fireplace in the waiting room. Antlers and black and white photos of famous guests lined the walls as did relics of explores long past. Wineskins, old rifles, yellowed maps all could be found hanging about. "Cozy." Quistis smiled. Fujin just looked around in wonder. "May I help you?" A tall dashing young man asked, he was blonde with green eyes, stocky build and wearing a black turtle neck sweater. A nametag saying Henzo hung neatly on his chest. "Yes, I have a reservation for Trepe." Quistis smiled. "This way please." The man led them to a large oak desk and he pulled a phonebook-sized folder out. He flipped through it then paused a moment. "Trepe, Quistis?" He asked "That’s me." "Okay we have you down for a party of two. Single room or twin?" "SINGLE." Fujin said abruptly. "Twin." Quistis said at the same time. They looked at each other awkwardly a moment. "TWIN." Fujin tried. "Single." Also tried." "SINGLE?" "Twin?" They babbled. The man looked at the two with a puzzled expression. "TWIN?" "Single" They tried once more. "Single?" "SINGLE." Fujin turned around abruptly and went to examine a stuffed eagle that suddenly required her immediate attention. "Um we’ll take the single I guess." Quistis said with an overly idiotic and embarrassed grin. The man scribbled in the journal without a second glance then turned to a rack of keys. He grabbed one off the shelf and handed it to her. "Here you go, enjoy your stay. Juan will take your bags for you." He said pointing to another young man in a red vest and silly beret. Juan walked over and picked up their bags and placed them on a roller. Quistis went over to Fujin and whispered in her ear. "Time to go." Fujin nodded, still trying to get over her embarrassment as they set off to their room.
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