Defiance
By: Kixyelle
Chapter 1: It's Not Murder
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A/N: Hi! I just wanted to say that I worked really hard on this, so reviews on how it is would be very nice! Thank you!
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Numerous people pushed passed me as I attempted to make my way down a hallway clogged with people. To get through, I shoved three chatting girls aside. While walking away from them I turned my head and saw them glaring. Normally I would've run back to apologize for my actions but the crowd was moving me in the opposite direction.
The late bell rang and the whole hallway cleared in a flash. The remaining people being me and the usual kids that skipped class. Hastily I dashed off to class.
By the time I reached it, I was already three minutes late. When entering the room the teacher glanced over at me disapprovingly. All eyes were on me as I walked quickly over to my desk. Letting out a sigh I sat down and put some of my binders underneath my desk. Next to me a healthy looking blonde boy was gazing at me questioningly like the rest of the class.
"Miss Yuna," The teacher spoke up. The class's attention flew back to him. "I need to see you after class." The teacher's gaze switched over to the blonde boy. "You too as well Mister Tidus." The boy, Tidus, slumped slightly in his seat and one of his hands rubbed his stomach. After this class was lunch, and Tidus was obviously hungry. He didn't want to waste time chatting to a teacher when he could be eating.
For the next few minutes random students kept looking back at me. I ignored their stares and kept focus on my work. Halfway through the class the teacher handed out the test from last week that he had corrected. When I received mine, I practically fainted. Almost all of the paper was covered in red marks. Reluctantly I examined the top of the test paper for my grade. Marked in big red marker on the top of the test paper was a 43. Letting out a cheer I stood up raised my arms in the air. A blonde girl from the front of the room darted up to my desk.
"What did you get Yunie?" She asked excitedly. Proudly I showed her the 43.
"I got a 43 Rikku!" I announced.
Awkwardly Rikku patted my back and said, "…That's good!" She didn't seem to understand why I was happy.
Laughing lightly I explained, "Lately I've been getting grade's in the twenty's on my tests. But I got a 43! I've gone up twenty points!" She laughed as well.
"It's nice that you're able to find some good in this 43." Rikku commented.
"Miss Rikku, please return to your seat." The teacher called out. Rikku waved at me and walked back to her seat. The rest of the class passed by speedily and soon the bell signaling the end of class rang. Before leaving my desk I grabbed my binders from under the desk and merged them with the one on top of the desk. I straightened the binder's out and slowly made my way up to the front of the classroom. Quietly I joined Tidus at the teacher's desk. The desk was very organized; all the books were even in alphabetical order. Piles of different papers were neatly stacked. Behind the desk the teacher sat relaxed in a comfortable chair. His hands were folded neatly on his desk.
"Miss Yuna," He nodded at me. "Mister Tidus," He nodded at Tidus and then peered at me intensely. "As you know, Miss Yuna, you are failing my class." I tightened my grip on my binders. "It is very important that you pass. From the work I've seen done by you, you seem not to understand any of the topics. Am I correct?"
"Yes," I answered.
"I am very sure that if you had someone to review the topics with you would understand them better. This being why Mister Tidus is here. I would like for him to tutor you, Miss Yuna. Is this agreeable?" I nodded then looked over at Tidus, to see his reaction. He was shaking his head forcefully.
"I'm sorry but I can't do anything like that. I'm always busy after school." He explained.
"I know that you are busy after school Mister Tidus." The teacher replied.
"Then why choose me?" Tidus inquired confused.
"Lunch," The teacher began. "At lunch you can tutor Miss Yuna. It's a half-hour long. That should be sufficient time." Tidus wasn't let his opposition die.
"But what about eating?"
"You can work while eating."
"Won't being in the cafeteria be distracting?"
"You may work in the library."
"Eating's not allowed in the library."
"I've already received permission for the two of you to be able to eat in there." Tidus was defeated. He had no more excuses. "You both may begin the tutoring today." Tidus and I exited the classroom. The sweet smell of food drifted through the air.
"I'll meet you in the library after I get food. Okay?" Tidus asked.
"Okay," I responded softly. I felt bad that he was being forced to tutor me. Grinning he rushed off to get his lunch. My stomach was growling but I didn't feel very hungry. Instead of going to get my lunch I simply went to the library.
Depositing my binders in one arm I pulled the clear glass door leading to the library open. A rush of cool air hit me as I went into the library. I started shivering due to the sudden drop in temperature. My eyes scanned the area. It was dimly lit and the walls were lined with books. Random tables with chairs surrounding them were scattered about. I hurried over to the closest one and sat down. Setting my binders aside, I laid my head down on my arms.
"Hey," A voice said from behind me. Startled I swiftly sat up straight. It was Tidus. He placed a brown paper bag on the table and dumped out the contents. It was mostly junk food, but there was one shining pear. My eyes would've been glued to the pear if I had felt like eating. Tidus pulled out his notes and began explaining them to me. Intently I listened and made mental notes on what he said.
After about ten minutes he paused in his explanation and said, "Let's take a quick break, so I can eat a little." Contently he chewed while I sat in silence. He swallowed then asked, "Are you understanding?"
"Yeah, it's making so much more sense." I answered. He smiled and resumed eating.
"Why are you being so quiet? Whenever I see you with your friends you seem a lot more talkative."
"I have a tendency to get shy around strangers." Before he could reply a voice came out the speaker on the ceiling.
"Could we please have the following students report to The Meeting Room. Adrianna Walt, David Smith, Rikku Younging…" I shifted nervously in my seat as they continued the list of names. "…and Yuna Blackmon. These students please report to The Meeting Room." The speaker shut off with a small buzzing sound. Anxiously I looked over at Tidus. He returned my look with a beaming smile.
"You better get over there, Yuna!" He said.
"Can I leave my things with you?" I inquired. Cheerfully he nodded and I got up and left the library. Walking down the empty hallway alone, I was absolutely terrified. The list of students called down to The Meeting Room was composed solely of people with Al Bhed blood. Spira wasn't fond of Al Bhed's. It was truly a miracle that even a small number of Al Bhed children were allowed into schools. Though I was only half Al Bhed, I still had it as hard as the full blooded ones.
When arriving at The Meeting Room I was stunned by the inside. Ten men were lined up on the left side of the room. All of them were covered in armor and equipped with complex looking guns. The principal and two strange men I didn't know were near the ten gun bearing men. Over in the lower right hand corner twenty-nine Al Bhed students were clustered. I joined them, thus making thirty. I noticed Rikku and she noticed me. Dragging a boy with her she made her way over to me. She silently took a hold of my hand, her other hand was already clutching the boy's.
"Rikku, what's happening?" I whispered.
"I don't know. Gippal doesn't either. But we know it's bad." She whispered back. The boy, Gippal, moved so he was on the other side of me. Fearfully I grasped his hand.
Gippal leaned in close and in a low voice said, "I think they might kill someone." My body tensed up and my eyes flickered over to the guns.
One of the strange men stepped forward and pointed to each of us. He seemed to be counting. Nodding he stepped back and whispered something to the other man.
"Let's just make this quick because you're all not worth my time." The second strange man said. "There've been new laws set. They apply heavily to each of you."
A fairly tall fair haired girl asked, "What are these laws?"
"That you all need to be killed." The man answered casually.
"What!?" Gippal exclaimed, "You're just killing us! Why's that?"
"You all have Al Bhed blood."
"So?"
"It's impure, Yevon doesn't like it."
The tall girl inquired, "Is everyone Al Bhed being murdered?"
"No one is being murdered." The man replied.
"But you're going to kill us all! Doesn't that justify as murder!?" The tall girl argued.
"No it does not qualify as murder. You're all inferior. We're simply disposing of everyone with unclean blood."
"That's not right though!" Gippal yelled. "We're people just like you!" The man sighed as he gazed up at the ceiling.
"I really don't have time to argue with inferiors over rights. Let's just get this over with." He turned his head and nodded to the other strange man. The other man signaled with his hands for the men bearing guns to prepare them for firing.