Author's note: This is a collaboration between Ceara Ivory and myself. Please note, the plot is going to be tossed to the winds mostly.

Tears Of The Moon

Prologue: Promises Made

Airlia looked around her tiny home after coming back from the market. It had been a small house with two floors that held a tiny balcony for her during the nicer days. She helped out at a small herbalist store because of her knack for knowing each herb on site and what it can do. She made a modest living helping to heal ailments that magic could not. She had tried to draw magic from the springs nearby her home town of Dollet, but it never worked…

She had heard word of Galbadia invading small towns around the world to try and gain control of the world slowly and hoped they would stay away from her sleepy village. However, hearing the screams suddenly coming from her town told her that it was happening now. She pushed her small coffee table against the door handle in an effort to bar the way before pushing taller structures to try and block the windows as she fled to the second floor of her home.

However, she hadn't gotten further than halfway up her stairs as the door burst open to show a man clad in blue with a silver chestplate and silver gauntlets and leg bracers. He held a sword in his hand as she could just make out a smirk on his face with a sword in hand as he started approaching her. She turned in her plain blue dress – offsetting her blue-grey eyes as her hair swirled with the movement and started taking off for up the stairs as the man encroached on her. "Come here girl. You're going back with me to Galbadia! I'm going to get a hefty reward for bringing a girl back alive." He chuckled as her blood ran cold.

"No way, leave my house!" She screamed, reaching for a pouch on her belt – one that she made in case she was ever attacked. It wouldn't kill him, but it would blind him for a time. Throwing it, he let it hit him not thinking of the consequences as the pouch released its red substance burning his eyes.

"You bitch! Good thing they never fucking said I had to bring you back unharmed!" He roared as he ran up the stairs as she ducked into her bedroom off the side and through the balcony door. Cursing her luck, she found herself pinned as the man approached her. "You're not worth bringing back! Say goodbye bitch!"

She leaned back out of reflex as he swung his sword, narrowly missing her as she fell back with a frightened cry. "Help!" Bracing herself for death's embrace as she neared the concrete, she was surprised when someone caught her.

Looking up, she saw a man in a grey and black trench coat with a blue vest. Looking up, she was mesmerized by his blue eyes and short blond hair. His scar running down from his left forehead down his nose diagonally to his right cheek caught her eyes as she whispered, "Thank you…"

Looking at her, he felt something pulse within him. "My name is Seifer. Are you from around here?"

She nodded, "Yeah, this was my home… I'm sure it's trashed now since I blinded the one guy with my defense powder."

He gaped at her, "Defense powder? Never mind. Let's get you back to the shuttle. It's not safe to stay here – so you're better off coming with me to Balamb Garden."

She knew that place, everyone did. "So you're a SeeD then?" At his nod, she lay against him – taking comfort in he was there to help her small town. "My name is Airlia. I worked with the local herbalist here and developed healing potions as well as defensive ones to take away a sense, be it smell, taste, sight, hearing, feeling. I've been working on one to rob the sense of intelligence unfortunately it has a nasty side effect of making them stronger."

He gave her a tiny grin as he reached the watercraft, "Stay here. I'm going to root out some of the others and we'll be heading back. You'll be safe here."

Seifer ran off as she watched him leave, worried for his wellbeing. A gentle hand lay on her shoulder as she turned to see an older man. "Everything will be just fine. He is one of the best, now why don't you tell me everything…"

Nodding, the herbalist explained her situation as he frowned. "You're lucky then that he was in the area. Ah see, here they come now." He pointed towards the town as soldiers ran back to the shuttles while Seifer entered theirs and sat down before powering up.

"Squall and the others are taking their own shuttle back. Quistis is waiting for them. Let's go." He said as they powered away, while Airlia watched her town vanish into the distance. Seifer directed his attention to the girl as he questioned, "Now tell me of these… defensive potions. What do you do to make them?"

She blushed as she ducked her head in embarrassment. "I dry out herbs and vegetables to make them. I know if it burns in heat, it would make a great potion to blind or silence depending on the item. I've also made a few poisoning potions – nothing that kills, just to let me get away. But my specialty is in healing medicines."

Nodding, the conversation dropped to silence as he observed the girl. She had her chocolate hair draped around her like a curtain. She reminded him frighteningly of his ex-girlfriend and yet she was so different from the woman. Her grey eyes were beautiful with their slight sliver of blue lurking deeply within. She was modestly dressed, her dress just going off the shoulder with thick straps holding it both on her shoulders and around them in a gentle hug. So different from her.

Pushing his thoughts away for the moment as they landed, he turned to her. "I'll take you to Garden and explain your situation to the Headmaster. I'm sure he'll allow you to stay there until Dollet is safe."

He escorted her to a waiting vehicle as a man with brown hair came up to Seifer. "What the hell did you think you were doing?! You nearly got us all killed!"

Seifer shrugged as he studied his adversary. "The mission was accomplished, and I had to return to the shuttle to explain why I was bringing someone back with me. She was being attacked by a Galbadian soldier. So excuse me Squall."

He left as he brought the confused girl with him. She didn't understand much of what was going on, but she got enough to know there was more than just some tension between the two as he helped her into his vehicle with two others in it. A young woman with a patch over her left eye sat across from her, next to a taller dark skinned man. She gave a small smile as she waved. "I'm Airlia, and who are the both of you?"

The silver haired woman with a brown eye dressed in blue and gold smiled faintly. "Fujin."

The well-muscled man next to her with tanned skin and an open blue vest and fighters pants nodded. "I'm Raijin, ya'know?"

Seifer chuckled, "She does now. Fujin, can you help her to your room to rest a little when we arrive? I need to speak to the headmaster about her situation. Galbadian soldiers went after her. I couldn't just leave her there."

Fujin nodded, "Understood."

They arrived to a large structure that was circular and pale blue, like the sky. Once they were inside, Fujin led her to the second floor where her room was sequestered next to two other rooms. "Here. Relax."

When they went inside, Airlia saw the room was tidy, orderly. Two beds were inside as Fujin indicated the opposite bed. Looking around, she barely sat down when a knock came to the door. Fujin held a hand to indicate her to remain seated as she approached the door. Opening it, a blonde woman came in and shut the door behind herself. Looking at the girl, the woman frowned. "Who are you? Seifer shouldn't have brought anyone home from that mission."

Airlia looked up at Fujin helplessly. "I was attacked in Dollet. Seifer was doing what he thought was right."

The woman nodded stiffly before looking at Fujin, "She may stay for now. It's obvious she has been through some sort of trauma. We have that graduation party tonight that she can attend."

The silver blonde woman nodded as she spoke again, "Attire." Quistis nodded in agreement before smirking.

"I have just the idea for her Fujin, let's bring her to my room. I have that dress that was a mite small for me, but it looks as if it should fit her like a glove." Quistis said as the pair approached her with twin smiles…


Uh oh… What do they have in mind for her? What could possibly go wrong with this scenario? You'll just have to stay tuned for the next chapter.