King's Heart (part 14 of 31)

How Rumors Start

Xu woke up first and saw the beautiful girl lying next to her. She smiled softly and propped herself on her elbows to watch her for a while. Quistis was back, she though ecstatically. She was really alive and well again. And most of all, they loved each other. It was a thought that sent Xu nearly squealing with joy. Instead, she sighed and realized that she was not very well “organized.” This merely meant that she needed to shower and change…badly. She got out of the bed slowly, for fear of waking Quistis up. It happened anyway.

“Hmm? Xu?” Quistis mumbled.

“Go back to sleep. I’m just getting a shower and getting changed, ok?” Xu replied. She bent down and gave Quistis a quick kiss on the forehead. She smiled sleepily and contently, like a small child before crashing down on the pillow and falling back asleep. Xu giggled a little and stepped out, softly closing the door.

-

-

Selphie hummed a little as she skipped down the hallways, earning rather odd looks from the teachers. Usually no one was up this early but she was just so excited to see her friend again. Everyone was ok and she was more than happy to spread her cheeriness around. It was, after all, infectious as Irvine put it. The only thing that could possibly make things better would be if a certain cowboy stopped chasing women and asked her out. (A/N: In my story, the have not gotten together yet.) She was so oblivious that she nearly ran into Xu when she turned the corner.

“OH!” She said, jumping back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there…”

“Hi…” Xu said, guardedly. “What are you doing up so early?”
“Just going over to visit Quistis. How is she?”
“She’s fine…” She replied, a little jealous before remember that Quistis was hers. She smiled and her mood changed completely. “She’s still asleep so I wouldn’t suggest waking her up. But she ought to be up by the time I get back otherwise I’ll make her get up.”
“Ok!” Selphie smiled before continuing her humming and skipping. As soon as she entered the infirmary, she turned and greeted Dr. Kadowaki. “Morning Dr. K!”

“Dr. Kadowaki, Selphie. And good morning to you.” The doctor replied automatically. She had gotten used to the nickname, no matter how much she hated it. She calmly sipped tea and read the morning newspaper, the Balamb Tribune. She wasn’t really paying attention to the little bundle of energy with brown bouncy hair.

“So, how’s Quistis today?” Unconsciously, a smile crept up the doctor’s face and Selphie wondered what she was smiling about.

“Quistis is fine, especially now that she’s got a special certain someone…” Dr. Kadowaki froze and the words she had said automatically sunk in. Her eyes widened in shock and she slowly turned around, preparing herself for what Armageddon she had just unleashed upon the world. Selphie’s eyes were wide to and a gigantic smile formed on her face. Dr. Kadowaki, knowing what was coming next, plugged her ears.

“WWWWHHHHAAATTT??!!”

“Selphie, please, there are other pati…”

“WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN HOW??!!” Selphie did an impossible jump over the desk, scrambling over to Dr. Kadowaki’s side.

“Selphie! Be quiet!” She hissed. The petit girl giggled.

“Dr. K! Spill the beans!”

“Selphie…listen, this isn’t something I can discuss. Quistis deserves her privacy and besides, it’s complicated…” Selphie’s eyes widened in shock.

“Complicated? Oh no! Is she having an affair?!” She asked in shock.

“NO! She’s just…”

“PREGNANT?! OH MY HYNE!!” She shrieked. “You didn’t tell me this!!”

“SELPHIE!! WOULD YOU PLEASE LISTEN TO ME!”

“Would either of you be kind enough to keep it down?” Quistis mumbled as she stepped out of the door. As soon as she appeared, the girl at Dr. Kadowaki’s side was gone and appeared almost miraculously by the young instructor.

“Quistis! Congratulations! Is it a boy or a girl?” Quistis looked over at Dr. Kadowaki who shot her an apologetic look.

“What are you talking about?”

“Dr. K told me that you’re having an affair with a student and you’re pregnant!” The blonde’s eyes shot open with shock.

“What?!”

“What is right.” Xu said, leaning against the wall with a smile on her face akin to that of a cat who had just stolen milk from the milkman.

“Xu! Did you hear?! Quistis is having an affair with Squall and apparently they’re going to have twins!” Quistis groaned. The lie was getting larger and larger.

“Selphie! WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT UP!” She yelled. “I am NOT having an affair with Squall. I am NOT pregnant. And if I hear anyone in the Garden saying anything even remotely similar…” She trailed off, feeling more tired than angry all of a sudden. Xu looked at her with concerned eyes.
“You ok?” She asked.

“Yeah…just getting a little light headed.” Xu frowned and went over to steady her.

“She needs rest.” Xu said, asking Selphie to leave. Selphie pouted but then lightened up again.

“Ok, I’ll be back later and you’re going to tell me everything about this mystery man, ok?” She waved and ran off, leaving a cloud of dust. Dr. Kadowaki sighed and shook her head.

“She’s a special child, isn’t she?” The doctor asked. Quistis smiled.

“You get used to it after a while.”

“What I’m curious is how she got that Quistis was in an affair.” Xu questioned, looking slyly over at Dr. Kadowaki.

“What can I say? I’m happy for you two. You’ve been best friends for a while…and you’ve only gotten closer these past few days.”

“You know?” Quistis asked. The doctor nodded, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks.

“I, uh, might’ve accidentally walked in on the night that Quistis woke up…it was a little awkward at first.” She scratched her head and smiled. “But this is the happiest I’ve seen Quistis in a while…”

“Please, don’t tell anyone yet.” Xu pleaded. Quistis looked at her.

“Why not? This is supposed to something good.” She asked.

“I don’t know what this’ll do for your reputation. I just don’t want you getting fired for something like this or people hurting you or saying stuff. I just don’t want that.” Quistis smiled softly.

“I don’t care.”

“I do.” Xu said. “So please…” There was a shaky tone in Xu’s voice that made Quistis feel as though she were afraid of something.

“Is everything alright.” She asked. Xu nodded quietly but both knew that there was something else.

“Ok.” She agreed and Xu let out a relieved sigh.

“Let’s get you back into bed, ok? You still look like you’re about to collapse…” She said, avoiding the subject. Quistis gave her a somewhat pained look for keeping something from her but she quickly got over it. Idiot, did you really expect her to tell you everything? Especially something that might be really painful for her? She thought angrily. Together, they walked back into the room. Dr. Kadowaki smiled softly at them, feeling more relieved than ever that Quistis had finally found someone and vice versa. Xu…she remembered when that girl first came to the Balamb Garden.

-

-

“Everything in order?” A guard asked. The young cadet nodded and saluted.

“Sir, no abnormalities.”

“I say there are.” The old man from the gate hobbled towards them. The Garden Staff walked over to him.

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a young girl who collapsed outside. My old body can’t handle bringing her here. Why don’t one of you young un’s go help her?” The young cadet looked to the Garden staff for an order.

“Get to it.” The young cadet saluted. “Take her to the infirmary.” After a moment, the cadet came back, looking rather frightfully at the bleeding and all but mutilated body in rags. With a pale face, he ran to the infirmary.

“Dr. Kadowaki!” He shouted. She looked over and gasped.

“Goodness! Quickly, lay her down!” The cadet all but dropped her, wanting to get her body away as fast as possible, not able to withstand the sight of a child in such a condition.

“Becca…” Xu whispered, huddling further into her rags. “Becca…Becca…come back…” Dr. Kadowaki heard but she had no time to waste, the girl was dying.

-

When Xu awoke, she saw the face of Rebecca looming over her. She tried to reach for it but she couldn’t move any part of her body. Even her eyes were too heavy.

“Becca…” She wanted to say but it never exited her mind.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine…” She thought as the room cleared. It turned out, it wasn’t her friend, instead, Dr. Kadowaki’s face appeared. She looked up with empty eyes at her savior but was unable to feel any joy in knowing that she was safe but alone.

“You’re ok now. You’re in the Balamb Garden. Where are your parents?”

“I wanna be with Becca. I don’t feel safe here. I don’t want to be here. I wanna be with Becca…” She got the energy to look around. “Where is she?” And that’s when the memories returned.

A single piercing scream tore through the garden.

-

-

“Xu…”

“You want to know what happened, right?” She sighed.

“A little.” Quistis admitted. Xu wrapped her arms around her body and sat down with her back against Quistis. The Instructor looked sadly and put her arms around her waist, hugging her. “You don’t have to.”

“I just don’t want to remember what happened to Becca.” She whispered. Quistis kissed the back of her neck.

“Then don’t.” Xu shuddered and shook with tears. “I don’t want to call you any unnecessary pain.”

“Becca was the only one who stood up for me back then.” She blurted. “I’m sorry…I think I do need to tell someone. Well, you see, she…” She couldn’t continue. Her throat locked up and she felt sick all of a sudden. Images of the assailants attacking, no, brutalizing her heroine flooded her mind.

“It’s ok…” Quistis’s voice brought her back. “Xu…Xu come back to me.” She sighed and brushed back her hair, shaken but ok.

“I’m going to go get that breakfast I promised, ok? What do you want?” Xu asked, standing up.

“Just some pancakes please.” Quistis said cautiously. She gave her a soft kiss on the forehead and Xu left the room, leaving Quistis wondering what went wrong back before she knew Xu. They had known each other since they were little. She tried to remember if anyone ever told her how Xu came to the Garden since she was here long before she and the other orphans were. But she couldn’t remember if anyone mentioned it to her. Xu was always there…always had been. She sighed and leaned back on the pillows.

-

-

It wasn’t long before Xu was ambushed by an overly ecstatic Rinoa and Selphie. Ayane tagged alone though less interested in invading people’s privacy.

“YOU!!” The two shouted at the top of their lungs.

“Me?” Xu replied, surprised.

“YES YOU!” They were at her side in milliseconds. “YOU KNOW WHAT’S UP WITH QUISTIS!! SPILL!!” Xu looked at Ayane pleadingly.

“I tried to stop them, I really did.” She said, shaking her head. “But they were so insistent.

“TELL!!” They squeaked over and over again. “WHO’S QUISTIS’S BOYFRIEND??!” Xu was getting a headache.

“Keep your voices down. You’re drawing stares.” She ordered. They covered their mouths but their eyes were wide as ever. “Quistis doesn’t have a boyfriend.”

“Liar.” Selphie whispered.

“Excuse me? Are you calling a superior a liar?” Ayane took a step back, sensing that Xu was certainly not in the mood to jest.

“Uh…guys…you’re flirting with death there…” She laughed nervously. The two didn’t seem to mind so much.

“I’m calling you, as a friend, a liar. Not a superior. I know you know something that we don’t know.” Selphie retorted.

“That’s down on SeeD rank.” Xu snapped.

“Fine! I’m still going to nag. I don’t care if you demote me to cadet.” Xu raised an eyebrow and Selphie looked on with equal determination. Somehow, Xu couldn’t bring herself to do anything.

“Look, I’m tired and this isn’t helping.” She said tiredly. “Quistis will tell you when she’s ready. I need to go get her breakfast before it becomes lunch.” She pushed past the two. They watched her go down the hall into the cafeteria.

“She’s no fun…” Rinoa pouted. “It’s not like we would tell any…” She caught Ayane’s look of contempt. “Well…only our friends.”

“Your ‘friends’ range from Trepe to janitor, Rin.” Ayane replied. “Everyone in the Garden’s your friend.” She frowned.

“We’ll pry it out of her eventually.” Selphie promised.

-

-

The door to the infirmary opened again and Quistis looked up to see Xu carrying a tray of pancakes, still steaming.

“Hey.” She said, setting the tray down on the table.

“Mm…smells good.” Quistis replied.

“We have to do something special when you get back on your feet.” Quistis eyed her suggestively, causing her to blush fiercely. “Something along the lines of…uh…dinner.” It was embarrassing how she could get so tongue tied at one look. Quistis laughed merrily.

“Dinner sounds great.” She said, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek.

“Don’t do that to me!” Xu said crossly. The idea had crossed her head but she dismissed it with a vengeance. “I swear you’re going to be the end of me.”

“Well, so long as it’s not someone else who’s going to be the end of you.” Quistis giggled and settled down to eat.

-

-

“Excuse me, have you seen the Balamb Garden?”

“Sorry ma’am, the Balamb Garden passed through here a few days ago.” An old fisherman replied. The young lady looked at the ground, disappointed.

“Do you know which direction they went in?”

“Northwest, I think.”

“Thank you sir.” I must warn Xu, before it’s too late…