Disclaimer: I do not own anything, and I am not making profit off of anything. Please don't sue; it's not worth the hassle.
Author's Note (A/N): (Updates will probably be irregular for now.)
Paramore - Circle
Take this time to realize
That you always shut your eyes
In the midst of a trial
And everything is always right
And I think that it's time
This battle must be won
But you pushed it aside
Pushed it aside, pretend that it's gone
(x2)
This circle never ends
And it's time you
Just face it, don't pretend
That it's over
Take this time to realize
That you always force a smile
In the midst of a trial
And everything is always right
And I think that it's time
This battle must be won
But you pushed it aside
Pushed it aside, pretend that it's gone
(x2)
This circle never ends
And it's time you
Just face it, don't pretend
That it's over
And it never ends
It never ends
And it never ends
No, it never ends
This circle never ends
And it's time you
Just face it, don't pretend
That it's over
This circle never ends
And it's time you
Just face it, don't pretend
That it's over, it's over
Prologue
Tortured screams, like the wailing of hell's banshees echoed throughout the small village. There was blood... so much blood... splattered across the field like paint on a brand new canvas. The crimson liquid sunk into the earth, mixing with the soft brown dirt, coating what used to be lush, green blades of grass, forever tainting the peaceful landscape. Heads, decapitated from their previous places of existence, soared through the air, as arms and legs were tossed aside like twigs off a small tree. Feet padded harshly all over the blood-soaked ground, trampling lifeless bodies. Some feet were clanging, dressed in shining metal, now stained with the life force of innocent women and children... Other feet were bare, moving as fast as possible, slipping and sliding, slicked with blood as they tried to escape the wrath of the riders on the armored chocobos; they could not move fast enough... The riders killed, slaughtered mercilessly each and every being who did not bear their mark on the field, all the while enjoying the sound of their victim's torment.
A lone figure stood amongst the riders, shedding crimson tears as their blade tore through another body. More innocent blood spilled.
Mystery
Why am I... floating-
She awoke, in the middle of descending off of her mattress, eyes widening. The earlier feeling of floating was replaced by a fleeting sense of surprise and panic, until... she collided with the unforgiving marble floor below. Pain exploded like a bolt of lightning into her skull, near her temple, reaching back into her brain, making her groan in discomfort. Her elbow bone began to throb as well, as a numb feeling spread through her arm. Must have hit the 'funny bone'... The backs of her eyes tingled as if she were to cry, but she shook her head to rid herself of the feeling, knowing it was more from shock than the actual pain itself. With another groan, she lifted herself off of the cold tile slowly, mind fogged with pain and sleep (or lack-there-of). "Fucking... nightmares..." She grumbled, making her way towards the bathroom.
She flicked the switch on as she stumbled into the room, squinting, the brightness burning her eyes as they adjusted from the darkness of sleep to the fluorescent lighting of the bathroom. When she could finally manage to open her eyes without too much pain, she took a couple steps towards the mirror, leaning on the cold ceramic sink beneath it as she surveyed the damage to her head. Just above her left temple her skin was tinged red; the makings of a bruise were forming. What really caught her attention, however, was the jagged scar that ran along her right cheekbone, dangerously close to the bottom of her right eye.
...It was bleeding, again.
The scar was years old, old enough that she couldn't remember a time in which the flaw wasn't permanently etched into her skin... but then again, she couldn't remember anything past her arrival at Balamb Garden to begin with. Occasionally, for reasons unknown, the scar would bleed. It always seemed to happen at night, during the nightmares. Soon after waking, she would feel the warm liquid oozing across her cheek, the bright red blood a stark contrast against her milky-pale skin. She frowned, ignoring the bruise forming on her temple, and set to work cleaning up her scar. Gently, she wiped off the blood with a damp cloth, and then cast a Cure spell on herself. The bruise on her temple, as well as the pain in her head and elbow receded to almost nothingness, but the scar remained, as always, even if it did stop the bleeding. Sighing, the woman glanced at her reflection in the mirror once again. Her black and red hair was tousled, sticking out and matted in various places. Dull, red eyes gazed back at her, emotionless. She directed her gaze over her high cheekbones, smooth jaw and pink lips, as she always did. Was it odd (or even possible?) for a person to look familiar, yet unrecognizable at the same time, to his or her own self?
I won't be able to get back to sleep now, anyways...
After a quick shower and 'morning' routine, she glanced reluctantly at the digital clock sitting on her bedside table, the blue numbers blinking irritatingly back at her. "Three A.M.? Damn... even earlier than usual." With a yawn and a small stretch, she threw her hair into a messy ponytail and changed into her clothes for the day; black pants, a black tube top with a webbed shirt over it that covered her torso, and her black sneakers. A loose, short red and black layered skirt was placed on over top of her pants, and two black straps were placed across her chest and around her back in the form of an X', holding in place her two katana, one handle protruding from her left shoulder, the other from the right shoulder. She tied a double red and black scarf around her neck and pulled on her gloves that reached from mid-finger to halfway up her forearm. The gloves were black, with glinting silver plates covering the arms, and spikes covering the knuckles. Her pale, toned abdomen and arms were visible, as usual, but she pushed her self-consciousness aside, took a deep breath, and left the dark confines of her room.
The silence of Balamb Garden's massive hallways was eerie in the early hours of the morning, as her soft footsteps echoed off of the large, white walls. The faint sound of water trickling flowed past her ears as she circled the pool of water that resided on the other side of the hallway walls and underneath the ring-shaped first floor of Garden, until she reached the green isle of the Training Center. Her pace increased slightly as she headed for those thick, heavy, metal doors, not bothering to glance back at the faint sound of another set of feet behind her. Whoever it was probably didn't know her, didn't care to say a word to her, and for that she was glad. She was not in the mood to be disrupted. The doors opened readily for her with a hiss, as they always did, bringing the tiniest fraction of a smile to her face. The Training Center always welcomed her with open arms.
Her steps were soundless on the soft earth, the dirt and blades of grass a familiar feeling beneath the padded soles of her shoes. A light breeze brushed past her face, gently blowing her bangs briefly away from her deep red eyes and cooling the sweat that was beginning to form on her face. Goosebumps rose all over her skin with each step she took, as the excitement built, the thrill of an upcoming battle surfacing in her veins. A second set of doors once again opened easily for her, and she stepped just as easily through them, instantly feeling the slightly more humid air around her. Out of force of habit, she pulled her gloves tighter and casually strolled further into the jungle-like scene, looking forward to a challenging fight.
After all, she had a knack for attracting T-Rexaurs, and they were not easy to defeat alone.
Her eyes expertly scanned her surroundings, flicking back and forth from tree, to ground, to bush, to the slight movement of an object to her left. Reacting on instinct, she spun, leg extended, arms positioned protectively in front of her face. Her leg collided with a large, solid yet almost squishy something, which she quickly recognized to be a Grat. Tch, pesky little things... I can't believe I used to have trouble with these. Vaguely, she recalled an instance from long ago, shortly after her initial arrival to Balamb Garden. She hadn't a clue what she was doing back then, and wandered into the Training Center unsupervised, without any previous combat training what so ever... The Grat, at that time, surprised her, knocking her to the ground suddenly with it's powerful tentacles, before it wrapped those same tentacles around her throat, lifting her off the ground as it did so. Simultaneously, it poisoned her and she had felt her life quickly slipping away… everything went black, and then she woke up in the Infirmary. As horrible as the experience was, it could have been much worse. It could have been a T-Rexaur.
But that was then, and this was now. Just two days previous, she had earned the title of SeeD cadet, rank eight - above average for a first try. She ignored the compliments, waved them off with a shy smile and a change of subject.
Any more thoughts ceased as she ducked under an approaching tentacle with such speed that loose tendrils of her hair stuck straight up, unable to match her momentum. The tentacle hovered in the air above her as she darted beneath it, arm pulled back and tensed. She reached the Grat before its own tentacle did, and with a strong, quick extension of her arm, delivered a decisive punch to the creature. Her arm passed through the Grat's tough, plant-like skin and into the innards. Disgusting goo covered her arm when she pulled it back out, a milky white, blood-like substance spilled out of the creature's body and onto the grass and dirt beneath it, coating a small patch of grass, quickly turning the lush green blades a crisp brown. The acrid smell of poison reached her nose, but she ignored it; She barely registered the smell, having developed immunity to that particular poison a long time ago.
Well, that should help attract some serious competition. She learned, long ago, that the smell, the sight, the feel of battle enticed T-Rexaurs, drew them to the scene like a shark to a drop of blood; they were predators, and, probably by instinct, knew that battle would lead them to something wounded, and that meant easy prey. With a grimace, she wiped as much of the Grat's 'blood' off as possible on the still green grass below, and without even looking, directed a Fira spell behind her. She ignored the sizzling, screaming Grat as her Fira disintegrated the plant-like creature as if it was an everyday occurrence, which to her, it was. Damn, those things are such a nuisance.
The sound of giggling and voices reached her sensitive ears, suddenly, and she quickly ducked behind some nearby bushes. She peered out from behind the leaves, wondering who else besides her would be awake at this hour, and in the Training Center, too. Two figures emerged from the 'Secret Area', one male and one female. They weren't anyone that she knew of, just a random couple. The man was walking beside the girl, his arm around her shoulders. He was semi-tall, with short brown hair. The girl had long, black hair, styled in a pigtail, and was a bit shorter than the guy. They were both wearing normal cadet uniforms. So, they're not even SeeD yet... they really shouldn't be in the T.C. this late, with no one else around-
As if on cue, she felt the familiar vibrations in the ground beneath her, heard the same thundering footsteps not far off in the distance, smelt the same blood and decay. She had come too close to that scent often before, been face to face with a T-Rexaur's sharp, jagged rows of teeth one too many times. She cursed as the vibrations shook harder, the footsteps closer, the smell stronger. She stood, her keen eyes catching the massive creature heading straight for the oblivious couple, and took off like a bullet.
The couple paused, stopped in their tracks at the ground-shaking roar behind them, far too close for comfort. They knew that roar... but they had never been so close to it before. Their eyes widened, the man's green eyes and the girl's brown when the felt the warm air on the back of their necks, smelt the death and decay on its breath, and froze in fear. This was it, this was the last thing that they would experience; the horrid stench of a monster's breath just before it sunk it's massive, serrated teeth into their flesh... they each closed their eyes, holding their breath, not ready to die, but accepting what was about to happen...
Their eyes snapped open at the scrape of metal as it was drawn from it's protective wooden home, and they whipped around from their frozen positions just as a woman skidded to a stop a short distance from them, dirt and dust floating around her feet as the soles of her shoes dug into the ground, her weapons clashing against the thick teeth of the T-Rexaur. The couple's gazes traveled up the woman's form, to her arms, where she held the source of the previous sound of metal; two swords, fairly long and slightly less than half the width of Squall's Gunblade. One sword was the pitch-blackness of non-existence, to the point where it did not even shine, seeming to deteriorate the light around it. The other sword was a bright white, almost blinding in its luminosity, having the opposite effect of the black sword, as it seemed to absorb the light around it, shining brilliantly. The swords sung, thrumming with their wielder's effort to hold them against the gaping maw of the monster.
Her arms shook with the effort, muscles straining against the amazing force of the increasingly angry carnivore. She turned her head ever so slightly towards the couple behind her, annoyed at their shocked expressions as they simply stood, rooted to the spot. Tch, they should be using this time more effectively! "What are you waiting for?" She shouted at them, irritation and distress evident in her tone. "Run!"
The couple seemed to snap out of their trance at her voice, wasting no time in turning and bolting away, fear and adrenaline increasing the speed at which they retreated. She sighed internally, a fraction of relief settling through her. Turning back to the task at hand, she instinctively sent a Sleep spell through her weapons, watching as it took effect on the large beast. The beast's huge head lulled forward and its eyes closed as the spell forced slumber upon it. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the creature, scrutinizing it. There was something different, something off about this one... but what was it?
The couple raced through the Training Center, nearly tripping over their own feet in their haste. Sweat broke out on their skin, their eyes consistently wide and panicked. They were saved, they were alive, they escaped the gory death that had invaded their minds only moments earlier - but what of the one who saved them? They couldn't leave her there alone, but what were they to do? No one was awake at this hour who could help! Should they wake someone up? If so, who?
Without realizing it, they sped towards the Dormitory, perhaps instinct spurring them to do so, as they rounded the corner, ran up the gray-painted hallway, nearly colliding into a figure on the way.
"Whoa, careful! What's the rush?" The figure asked, voice male and friendly, if not a little tired.
The girl froze, the voice all too familiar to her... why did they have to run into him, of all people, and now, of all times? Then again, why did she care? Someone's life was at stake! "Ze-"
"S-someone's in the Training Center, a-and s-she needs help!" The man sputtered, panting and stuttering, fear still obviously present in his voice. The girl held her breath, mentally thanking her new boyfriend for speaking before her. At least 'he' hadn't noticed her yet.
"Then why aren't you helping her?" The figure asked angrily, already making his way towards the Training Center.
"I-It's a T-Rexaur! We c-couldn't do anything!" The man shouted, trying to defend himself and his girlfriend, but Zell had disappeared at the mention of 'T-Rexaur'.
The set of teeth came towards her threateningly, and she dodged just before the teeth made contact with her skin, gripping her left arm tightly, ignoring the blood seeping out between her fingers; she wouldn't fall for that again. She cursed as the quick movement set her off-balance, and she couldn't avoid the massive tail that headed towards her in time. The tail came as her in a powerful swing, and she grimaced as it slammed into her ribs, knocking the breath out of her and lifting her off of her feet. She flew through the air from the impact, still gripping her bleeding arm. Her eyes widened when she felt her back crack against the solid trunk of a tree, and then closed just as quickly when she passed through the rough bark, the top half of the tree soaring. With a cry of pain, she finally collided against the not-so-soft earth of the Training Ground below her, winded once again. She coughed, rolling over onto her stomach and spewing out bright red liquid. Wincing and continuing to grip her left arm, she knew that the blood on the ground and the metallic taste all down her throat were not good things. Should've made an effort to stock some more Full-Cure spells when I ran out after my SeeD test... and T-Rexaur's are supposed to be weak against status effects like Sleep, so how come my spell only lasted a few seconds...?
Coughing up some more blood and squeezing her eyes shut at the pain all throughout her torso, she wondered why this T-Rexaur was stronger and faster than most. She'd faced them before, defeated them on her own twice before now, and none had been quite this difficult. None had been anywhere close to easy, but none had brought her this close to death, either. Grunting, she attempted to sit up, only for a burning hot pain to burst inside of her torso, yet again taking her breath away as she flopped back down onto the ground. Her eyes threatened to roll back into her head from the intense pain and blood loss, but she knew that if she passed out now, she would never wake up.
The T-Rexaur finally made its way back over to her, its large feet pounding against the ground as it headed towards her. She clenched her jaw as it neared closer, waiting until it stood right over top of her and lowered its face to her, prepared to take a bite. "Not this time." She whispered harshly, hands raised towards the beast's head. "Blizzaga!" She shouted, sharp ice instantly engulfing the entire creature. Now, I don't have long before that breaks - kuso! She cursed once again at seeing her swords lying on the ground across from her, discarded in the area where she was before being hit through a tree. There's no way I can get to them in this condition! Tch... I only have one Curaga left anyways, might as well use it. Better now than never.
"Curaga." She whispered, the green glow swirling around her. Her eyes widened, hearing a faint, splintering sound as the ice began to crack around the monster. What the f- already? The spell should have held longer than that! Before the Curaga even finished settling into her body, she moved, scrambled away from her spot beneath the creature just as the ice shattered. The creature let loose a deafening roar of rage behind her, obviously not happy with its meal being hindered. She felt the massive footsteps head towards her before she heard them and glanced behind her. It was catching up, and fast. Eyes narrowing, she pivoted quickly on her feet and raced back towards the oncoming T-Rexaur.
Zell burst through the second set of doors in the Training Center, bright blue eyes scanning the surrounding area quickly, just in time to see a woman with red and black hair run towards a T-Rexaur that was charging back at her. The woman was weaponless, her left arm was covered in blood, and her face was twisted into a painful expression. He opened his mouth to shout, to get her attention, but no words came out as she dove under the T-Rexaur, it's massive jaws snapping at her and missing her by a hair's width. Zell blinked, shocked. She's crazy!
Continuing with the momentum from her dive underneath the creature, she rolled, grinding her teeth together when she felt her ribs begin to fracture again; the results of moving before the Curaga had finished its task. Her lungs burned as she rolled into a standing position and ran for her swords. They were almost within her reach now, just a little closer -
"Hyne damn it!" She shouted, tripping over a random rock on the Training Center field. Twisting in mid-air before she hit the ground, she managed to land on her back and slide with the force of her fall, firing off another Blizzaga at the quickly advancing creature. The ice surrounded the creature once more, giving her just enough time to crawl clumsily backwards to her swords. Grasping the hilts of her two blades, she closed her eyes and smiled, letting out a breath she wasn't aware that she'd been holding. Thankfully, the Curaga had time enough at least to stop the bleeding and heal her left arm before she'd moved and disrupted the spell's effects, therefore she could still wield both swords.
Using the blades to help support her as she settled into a standing position, a small smile broke out on her face when the creature broke free of the Blizzaga, once again not happy with being slowed down. She crouched, blades at the ready. As she expected, the creature let loose another ferocious roar and charged at her. Powering up her swords with ice - the T-Rexaur's weakness - and crouching just a little bit lower, she waited. The creature was getting closer now, closer, closer...
She sprang, kicking up dust and dirt behind her as she rocketed towards the beast. She held out her swords once she reached its thick neck, the blades carving through the tough skin, spewing red blood. She planted her feet on the T-Rexaur's neck beside where her blades were embedded and continued to run until she reached the other side of the neck, more blood spewing, and finally wrenched the swords out of the monster's thick hide and jumped off. She landed, her back facing the creature, each katana coated with blood. She flicked the blades, attempting to rid them of some of the offensive substance, confident that the creature was severely wounded.
The earth shook beneath her feet, the sounds of the thundering footstep making her freeze where she stood. Her heart rate increased, her blood pounded in her head. There was no way in hell that the T-Rexaur was moving after that attack! Turning, slowly, her eyes widened at seeing the creature, blood flowing freely from it's neck, drool sliding out of it's opened mouth as it took another heavy step in her direction. Its eyes, she noted, were wild and even more crazed than usual for a T-Rexaur. Just as the pieces started to put themselves together in her mind, just as she figured out why this T-Rexaur was different from the others, a blur of color flew through the air and directly into the creature, knocking the massive beast over as the blow finished what her swords had started and severed the head from the body. She blinked, a frown making its way onto her face. The T-Rexaur... it was Berserked, or something similar... almost Zombie-like. But who or what would do that to a T-Rexaur, of all things?
Her thoughts whirling, she turned, ready to leave and head back to her room where she could ponder what she'd seen in silence, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She just barely jumped, twitched more-like, and the person removed their hand from her. She gazed at the person out of the corner of her eye, immediately noting the blond hair, styled up in a gravity-defying manner, the bright blue eyes, and the intricate, sharp, jet-black black tattoo outlining the left half of his face. Zell Dincht.
"Hey! That was pretty cool!" Zell said, enthusiastically, rubbing the back of his head. He grinned widely, "Not many people can handle a T-Rexaur on their own."
"Well, you did finish it off." She reminded him, hand subconsciously raising to her ribs.
"Yeah, but you did all the work... hey, are you all right?" He asked, moving in front of her, concern written on his face.
She swallowed, fighting to see straight. Curaga or no, she'd lost a lot of blood, and her ribs were fractured, if not broken all over again from her quick movements before the spell had settled. "I've been better." She answered, honestly.
"Here, I'll take you to the Infirmary-"
"That's... not necessary..." She forced, even as his voice became muffled, her vision darkening.
"Hell yes, it's necessary. You look pretty beat up..." His voice trailed off, sounding as if she were underwater.
She frowned, denial rising to her lips as she felt herself being lifted off the ground, and gently pressed against a warm chest before the darkness engulfed her, and she lost consciousness.
"Hey, she's waking up!" A voice commented excitedly.
"Zell Dincht, be quiet, would you! She's probably not feeling too well, and you're shouting won't make matters any better!" Another voice spoke up, strict and full of authority, yet gentle, like a mother's.
She knew both those voices. "You're both too loud…" She grumbled, before she could stop herself, and covered her eyes with her arm, blocking out the stinging brightness… and possibly, a tinge of pink that rose to her cheeks.
"Sorr—" Zell started, but was quickly cut off by Dr. Kadowaki.
"Oh, stop complaining. From what I've heard, you're lucky to be alive. What have I told you about being so reckless?" The doctor chided, shoes clicking lightly against the tile floor as she made her way towards the girl. Making sure that the girl still wasn't looking, Dr. Kadowaki pulled out a small tube, filled with a clear liquid, and, after sticking a needle that she held in the other hand into the tube and filling it with the aforementioned liquid, she cleared the needle of any air bubbles and quickly stuck it into the girl's previously injured arm.
The girl twitched when she felt the distinct pinch, quickly removing her arm from her eyes and glared at the doctor. "Hey, what the hell was that for?" Her glare quickly turned into a squint as the light stung her eyes.
The doctor sighed in an irritated manner and removed the needle, done injecting the liquid. "You know as well as I do how bad an infection can get if it's not taken care of, and you did get bitten by a T-Rexaur. I'm just taking precautions. Would you rather lose your arm?"
"That's what Esuna is for." The girl mumbled childishly, averting her gaze.
"You also know how important it is not to throw magic around for every little problem." Dr. Kadowaki chided once again, her dark hair showing more signs of gray than usual. "What are you complaining about anyways? A needle is nothing compared to the injuries you were brought in here with last night."
Yes, but those injuries are far less annoying. She nearly huffed, but refrained, not wanting to seem any more childish. She heard a light chuckle from the corner of the room and blushed. I forgot that he was here… Shyly, she glanced at the blond SeeD, silently admiring his tattoo, as usual. "Umm, thanks for… helping me out." She said softly, wondering why her throat felt so dry.
"Ah, no problem!" He replied, pushing himself off of the wall and grinning. He stepped towards her, breathed on his hand a couple times before rubbing it on his shirt and holding it out for her to shake. "Zell Dincht."
She shook his hand without a second thought, her grip soft and gentle, while his was strong and firm. His eyes seemed to widen just enough that she wondered if she was imagining it, but she shook the thoughts from her head temporarily and replied, "Miu Kuronaga."
Realizing that he was still holding onto her hand, Zell quickly let go and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Nice to meet'cha, Miu!"
"You too." Miu replied, her hand dropping gracefully back onto the Infirmary bed, oblivious to the doctor's mischievous gaze.
The doctor cleared her throat suddenly, secretly enjoying the startled jumps of the two teens, "…Well, Miu, you're free to go, but I better not see you back in here again any time soon, ya hear?"
A little too quickly, Miu hopped off of the bed and stumbled, the lack of blood still affecting her. Zell immediately put his hands on her shoulders to steady her, and as a reaction, she placed her hand on his arm to regain her balance. When her legs decided to obey her again, she let go, blushing deeply. "Thanks." She said quietly, nervously fiddling with the hem of the skirt she wore over top of her pants, before she turned around and grabbed her swords that were resting on a chair in the corner of her room.
The doctor tsk tsk'd her, frowning. "I said I did not want to see you in here again soon, remember?" Sighing, Dr. Kadowaki ran a hand through her hair, looking up at the ceiling in agitation. "Will you ever quit being so reckless? I think I've seen you in here almost as much, if not more than Squall and Seifer, not to mention you, Zell! You're no better, so quit snickering!"
Zell stopped laughing instantly, although he was still grinning. "Yes, ma-am!" He responded with a mock-salute. The doctor merely rolled her eyes at him. Leaning over, he cupped his hand near his mouth and whispered to Miu, "And here I thought she lectured me a lot! You must be a regular!" He winked at Miu and stood up straight again when Dr. Kadowaki glared at him.
Miu blushed – again – at Zell's wink, but covered her mouth as she snickered, trying to hold back the sound, so as not to anger the doctor further. Dr. Kadowaki was the closest thing that Miu had to a mother, after all… However, her laughter was cut short at the doctor's next words.
"Zell, I want you to keep an eye on Miu for a while, if you can. There was something strange in that T-Rexaur's blood that I found on her, and I don't trust it. I also don't trust her to come to me if there's a problem." Miu seemed about to retort, but the hard stare she received from Dr. Kadowaki made her mouth snap shut. "All right?"
Nodding, Zell glanced at Miu out of the corner of his eye and then looked back at the doctor. "Will do, doc."
The doctor nodded sternly, before ushering the two out of the small white room. "Now go on, go! I have more patients to deal with!"
After nearly falling over four times in a row while going just down the Infirmary hallway, Miu had finally given up and accepted Zell's help, slinging her arm around his broad shoulders as he wrapped an arm around her back for support, lest she fall yet again. Currently, the blond was shaking his head at her stubbornness. She was worse than Squall! "Are you sure you should be leaving the Infirmary so soon?" Zell asked, concerned.
Miu nodded, softly gripping the blond's shoulder when another dizzy spell came over her. Stupid blood loss. "I'm fine, just weak."
"You sure it doesn't have anything to do with the weird T-Rexaur blood that doc found on you?"
Miu frowned. Why is he so concerned? He doesn't even know me. "I'm just dizzy from blood loss. I'll be fine once I get something to eat and some rest." If I have time to rest, anyways. I should be receiving my first SeeD mission soon...
"Well then, let's stop by the Caff, ne? I'm craving a hotdog about now, anyways." Zell grinned. He knew that all the hotdogs were gone by this point in time, but he found Miu interesting, and he had to keep an eye on her anyways, so why not get to know her better? He'd always noticed her around Garden as it was, and she'd always been alone... kind of the way Squall used to be.
"I - I'd really rather just get some sleep-"
"Tch, you were just out for almost two days; the last thing you need is more sleep!" Zell exclaimed cheerfully, hoisting Miu off of her feet when he felt her begin to protest, and heading quickly in the direction of the Cafeteria, holding the bewildered girl bridal-style. "Come on, let's hurry before all the good stuff's gone!"
Before she even had the time to blush, let alone protest the blond SeeD's actions, they had already arrived in the Cafeteria and she was gently set down on her feet. She blinked, slightly in awe of Zell's skills. She hadn't even felt him move...
"So, whaddaya want?" Zell asked suddenly, his voice bringing her out of her thoughts, "It's my treat, so don't be shy!"
She glanced at him, leaning on the Cafeteria counter – much to the annoyance of the lunch ladies – his usual, wide grin plastered onto his face. "Ramen." She answered absently, distracted by his clear, blue eyes. There was something... odd, for lack of a better word, about his cheerful exterior today. Her head snapped to the side, suddenly, as she caught a familiar voice from around the corner - it was coming from the Cafeteria hallway. By the time she turned her head back towards Zell, he'd already finished ordering and was heading towards her with the food on a tray. She swallowed thickly, desperately wanting to hide...
No, she couldn't. She wouldn't allow herself to be so pathetic. She was not afraid of him - not anymore.
With a determined look in her normally dull eyes, she began heading to an empty table in the Cafeteria, Zell following closely behind her. The table was in the back corner of the room, situated by the windows, providing an excellent view of the landscape outside of Garden. No one ever sat here, and she never could comprehend why... Maybe, just maybe, it was because of her. Since day one in Balamb Garden, she had claimed this table. Arriving early to the Caff every day, she would buy her meal, retreat to this table in the back corner, and eat her meal as she gazed outside. She always ate alone; no one ever bothered to talk to her, to even attempt to sit with her - not that she minded. The solitary meals allowed her time to think.
But now, for the first time, ever, since she was welcomed into this place, she would not eat alone. Finally reaching the table, she sat on the chair closest to the window, silent as Zell placed the tray down and plopped into the chair across from her. The previously loud and animated chatter of the other cadets and students in the surrounding tables quited down immediately to a dull mumble. A ghost of a smirk passed over Miu's face. So, she had been right all these years. The other students did know she existed, they just liked to judge and gossip about her from afar. And all this time she'd thought she was simply being paranoid when she felt their stares on her, heard their whispered words. Oh, well. She didn't blame them - she didn't exactly scream 'sociality'.
If Zell noticed the stares, heard the whispers as the entire Cafeteria, it seemed, watched them, scrutinized them, he said nothing. He merely placed her bowl of ramen down in front of her and began to eat his own lunch - a sandwich of some sort. Absently, Miu began to eat her own food, staring out the window, as she always did, letting her mind wander. Her eyes traveled over the lush green fields, the deep, dark forest, the high, snow-capped mountains in the distance... it was a beautiful sight. If not for the stares that she felt bore into the back of her head, it would have been serene, peaceful, even. She sighed, giving up on zoning out into her usual trance, and turned back to Zell, who had already wolfed down one sandwich and was moving onto the next.
"If you don't slow down, you're going to choke." Miu warned quietly, an indifferent expression on her face, except for the tiniest fraction of an amused smile on her lips. The fraction of a smile didn't last, however, when Zell suddenly swallowed a rather large mouthful and looked past her. She already knew what - or rather, whom - he was looking at. It was the owner of the voice from earlier, his dark shadow looming over her as he stood directly behind her.
"Isn't that funny? I said the same thing to you once, Miu, in a little hotel room in Dollet-"
The owner of the voice spoke, deep and sinister, bringing back memories that she preferred stay hidden in the deepest recesses of her mind.
Determined, she pretended not to notice, even when Zell started to stand, an angry look on his face. Obviously, he'd figured out the hidden connotations in the previous sentence. "Zell," She started, grabbing the blond's attention before he got himself into trouble, "I've been wanting to work on my martial arts lately, think that you could help me out sometime?" She didn't turn around, but she could still see the scowl on his face.
Zell paused in his actions, glaring at the tall man standing behind Miu, dressed in a large dark trench coat. The man had long dark hair, down to about his shoulders, and a bulky, strong build. An axe was strapped to his back, razor sharp edges glinting under the light. Despite how bad his urge was to knock this man out the Cafeteria window, and then some, Zell could tell that Miu wished otherwise, since she tried to distract him. Not once taking his eyes off of the 'intruder', Zell sat back down and answered Miu with a simple, "Sure."
The man standing behind Miu looked from Miu to Zell, and back again, a deep scowl settling on his attractively masculine face. Apparently, he didn't like being ignored... he also seemed to be getting the wrong idea about the two at the table in front of him, but maybe that was Miu's intention. "So, moved on to another one, have you, Miu?" He sneered, "I hope you treat him as well as you did me."
"Why you-" Zell began, once again starting to rise from his chair.
Miu interrupted once again, an obviously fake smile plastered onto her face, "Zell, how soon do you think you could help me train?"
Zell finally tore his eyes away from the tall figure behind Miu and focused on the girl. Her eyes were closed, the smile on her face was too wide, too forced, and she was gripping her chopsticks with white knuckles. Whatever her history was with this guy, it wasn't good, and for some reason, she was doing her best to ignore him. How could she sit there and take insults like that?
The man focused his fierce green eyes on Zell, nearly snarling in anger at being ignored again. "Have fun with her; she's one hell of a-"
The chopsticks in Miu's hands cracked and broke, and the man scoffed arrogantly before sauntering off. Zell now stood fully, turning in the direction of the man, when her voice, sounding so dead and so hurt at the same time, stopped him in his tracks.
"You still haven't answered my question."
"...Who was that guy?" Zell asked, either oblivious or purposely ignoring the many eyes directed at himself and Miu.
She was looking back out the window, sharp bangs shadowing her eyes from view. "Ex-boyfriend." Was the only explanation she offered.
"And why is he so-"
"He's arrogant, jealous, and obsessed with power. He hates me because I broke up with him. I stopped you from going after him because he's not worth getting yourself into trouble for."
Zell frowned, leaning forward, elbows on the table. "Why didn't you say anything to him?"
"I... don't want to provoke him."
Cautiously sitting back down in the chair, Zell turned narrowed eyes to the girl, "What do you mean? You shouldn't take that crap!"
"That's just it," Miu replied casually, a baleful wisp of a smirk crossing her face, "If I decided to react, things would get out of hand. I'd rather not go to prison, especially for murder." She ignored the startled gasps, the stares, the whispers that cascaded throughout the Cafeteria. None of them knew her, none of them cared about her anyways, so why should it matter what they thought of her? It didn't.
"I guess you've got a point." Zell laughed strangely, something hidden within the amused sound, "I've had to restrain myself enough times to know." His wide grin spread as he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, fingers moving smoothly through his soft blond hair. But still... what's with that guy? His gaze moved to her face, sharp red and black bangs falling in front of her dull red eyes, while the longer layers framed her face and fell over her shoulders. He caught sight of the jagged line underneath her right eye, on her cheekbone. His brows knitted together in confusion, but he didn't feel right asking about it. Not yet.
The whispers and bits of chatter in the Cafeteria came to a stop as a light beeping sounded through the area, and a familiar voice rang over the P.A. "Miu Kuronaga, please report to the Headmaster's Office, immediately. I repeat, Miu Kuronaga..."
Miu stood, a false smile on her face, eyes closed. "Well, thanks for the food..."
"You didn't even really get to eat any." Zell pointed out, sounding disappointed and almost apologetic.
She waved her hand dismissively at him, opening her eyes. Her eyes involuntarily flicked over to the blond SeeD's tattoo, admiring the intricate, spiky, black design as she always did. "That's fine, it's the thought that counts, ne?"
"Rain-check?" He asked, his voice hopeful.
"Sure." Miu replied distractedly, heading away from the table, eyes focused straight ahead. The other occupants of the tables watched her leave, following every footstep as she exited the Cafeteria, walking down the long red hallway before finally heading to Squall's Office. She found comfort in the brief silence of the elevator ride, despite the vague sense of loneliness that she pushed away. She was twenty now; she'd arrived at Balamb Garden nearly ten years ago... she had been completely alone the entire time, so why should it bother her now?
It didn't, she told herself.
It didn't.
AN: Lemme know what you thought of the first chapter, please! If you read the last version of this story, tell me if you liked that version or this one better. Feel free to point out and spelling or grammatical errors, please!