BLUE MAGIC : LASER EYE
Fifth Year [Four Years Ago]
This year I was able to skip several classes because I've been passing the exams with straight As ever since I came to Garden. I've even had some free time, so I joined the Card Club here. At first I wasn't really interested but they got me to play a game and I became hooked. They tell me I'm one of the best players they've ever had. And to think I only had the cards that I did was because some monsters dropped them and I just ended up keeping them as trophies. I've been battling more. I've been making myself some extra cash, too, by selling useless items dropped by the monsters I fight. You'd be surprised how much people are willing to pay for a fish fin. They must taste pretty good, maybe I should try some.
So this semester, I'm taking Battle 215, Ability 210, Elemental and Status Defense, Junction 185 and Weapons 210. I'm also tutoring in Weapons and Battle. I've also found a way to make sleep aids from these items I found after defeating some Grats in the Training Center. I sold about half of them, but I think I'll keep the rest for a night I can't sleep. I bought myself a new whip with the money I saved from selling monster items. And a pair of glasses that don't look so dorky on me.
The only thing I'm not really liking about my schedule these days is that I almost never see Squall. We see each other in the library every so often, but we're both always so busy we barely have time to even chat. I see Zell alot, though. Crazy as always. He's such a joy to be around. He's become addicted to the cafeteria hot dogs ever since they got a new type of meat.
Seifer and his sidekicks have developed quite the attitude. Everybody in Garden likes him, but I think honestly they're just sucking up to him because they're afraid of him. If he would put as much effort into his work as he did his reputation he would be one of the best students here.
"Watch it, Bucky!" I know that voice. It's...
"Oh, what are you gonna do, Seifer?" Squall steps in front of Zell and right into Seifer's face. He always had that noble sense of judgement, and even though he has such a cold exterior most of the times, he's a really sweet guy. Sometimes Cid says he goes overboard but I just think he knows how to dish out justice.
"You wanna fight?! You and your boyfriend wanna take this outside?" A crowd forms. This isn't good.
"You're such a badass, why don't we go right here?" Squall challenges.
"How 'bout it!" Seifer draws out his gunblade. That's it.
"Stop it, what are you trying to do? Get yourselves expelled?!" I step in.
"Do you REALLY think I care?" he laughs. He's so arrogant, I can't stand it. Just the thought of him makes me want to...
"Fight! Fight! Fight!" the crowd starts to chant. This is NOT good. Seifer raises his gunblade to Squall. I take out my whip.
"Rage, you take the chicken wuss. Fuj, you take the girl. Squall's mine."
Their swords clash. No, this is definitely not pretty. These fights usually don't end up so... violent.
"ATTACK!" I hear Fujin shout as she and Raijin charge at Zell and me. Raijin swings his staff, but Zell dodges it and makes him drop it in one swift motion as he glides through the air. Fujin aims her pinwheel at me but does not have the advantage I have of having being experienced in battle, and misses. Squall doesn't get a single hit in, nor does Seifer. They are equals on the training field and both highly skilled in blocking. I extend my whip, and Fujin jumps back. She aims again, only this time I am unable to block. I no longer feel the ground. Or my opponent.
All I see is the Garden ceiling as I scream the last thing that will ever come out, which is just that. A scream. I'm going to die. And then I hear a vaguely familiar voice.
"Float!"
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"Hey chicken wuss, do you know what they're serving today in the cafeteria?" Seifer butts into a private conversation between Zell and me.
"Why don't you go ask the cafeteria workers?" He ignores the smartass comment and continues walking.
"Your favorite, wieners. Or should I say second favorite, since it's not Squall's." he laughs.
"Mind your own damn business, Seifer. Can't you just for once-"
"Watch it, Bucky!"
"Oh, what are you gonna do, Seifer?" He looks around before he responds. He's drawing attention, as usual.
"You wanna fight?! You and your boyfriend wanna take this outside?" as if he could come with any lamer insults.
"You're such a badass, why don't we go right here?" I didn't think he would agree to this as it came out, but I should have known. Seifer and his attitude. His big ego.
"How 'bout it!" he responds as he draws his gunblade. He leaves me with no choice. I accept his challenge and draw mine as well.
"Stop it, what are you trying to do? Get yourselves expelled?!" Quistis steps in as always.
"Do you REALLY think I care?"
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
"Rage, you take the chicken wuss. Fuj, you take the girl. Squall's mine." He declares, looking me straight in the eye. He raises his sword and I dodge his attack.
"ATTACK!" Fujin shouts. She and Raijin attack Quistis and Zell simultaneously, but Seifer's sheep are no match for the martial arts skills of Zell and the loads of battle experience on Quistis. Zell dodges Raijin and with barely putting any effort into his actions, leaves both weapon and owner on the ground. Fujin attempts to shoot Quistis with her pinwheel, but her aim is off. Seifer continues to swing at me as I effectively block, and he does the same. Fujin dodges Quistis's whip and shoots again, and in an attempt to evade her attack, Quistis flips backward over the bridge, screaming bloody murder.
"Float!" I hear Cid say from behind me. The crowd goes silent. In shock. They look at us, look around, look over the bridge, at Cid, but mostly in the general direction of Fujin.
"BLOOD," she points out as she falls to the ground, dropping her weapon. The entire crowd draws in closer to Fujin, except for Zell and me. We lean over the guard rail to see Quistis suspended three feet above the ground.
"Is she okay? Get a doctor!" I hear voices whisper behind me.
"Everybody please go back to your classrooms, this is not a public show," Cid declares. I turn back around to see a bloody weapon on the ground beside her. Blood... and it doesn't belong to Quistis.
With her hand over her eye and sobbing, Cid helps her up and escorts her to the elevator, then turns around to say in the harshest voice, "You four wait right here."
"This is all your fault!" Seifer snaps.
"You know, instead of being a jackass who just makes threats toward everybody why don't you actually show some concern for what happened to your friend?" Zell retorts, shaking.
"Since when do you care, chicken wuss?"
"Seifer, he's right, ya know?" Raijin steps in, leaving a moment of silence before Seifer could respond.
"I suppose there's a first time for everything."
Instructor Aki approaches us. "What is going on here?"
"DISPEL!" Quistis shouts from below.
"This jackass was looking for a fight," Zell answered.
"You are all in very serious trouble. Do you have any idea what could have come from your actions? This is exactly why we forbid the use of weapons and magic within Garden! You could have gotten yourselves killed! Don't you think these things through before you just start attacking each other?!"
We have nothing to say. Quistis steps out of the elevator.
"This young lady could have fallen to her death. Which one of you is responsible for this?"
"Fujin," Zell snaps.
"Shut your damn mouth! If she hadn't stuck her little nose where it doesn't belong then she wouldn't fallen off the bridge!" Seifer snaps back.
"Both of you! No, all of you! Be quiet unless spoken to. Who is Fujin?"
"She's the girl that attacked Quistis. She's in the infirmary," I inform the instructor.
"What happened to her?" Quistis pipes in. As if she gave two shits about Fujin.
"She got her eye, ya know? She shot her pinwheel the wrong way and it came back at her eye, ya know? Is she gonna go blind?!" Raijin begins to ramble.
"Oh my God," Quistis mumbles to herself.
"I don't know. All of you, report to room 220A. I'll be informing Xu of your arrival so don't even think of trying anything while I'm gone! You have one minute," Aki warned us before walking toward the elevator.
"One minute? Shit! I'll get you later for this, Bucky," Seifer threatens once again as the five of us speedwalk down the hall.
"There will be no talking. You will remain here until Cid gives the order for you to leave," Xu tells us as we each sit several seats away from each other. I quietly log on to the computer as Xu grades the tests from earlier today.
[16:03:02] Me: Are you okay?
[16:03:40] Quistis: I'm fine... just a little traumatized. I thought I was going to die earlier.
[16:04:05] Zell: Yo, did Fujin really cut herself on the eye?
[16:04:08] Me: Yeah... I wonder if she'll be okay
[16:04:15] Seifer: She'd better be, or I'm holding you personally responsible, got that?
[16:04:30] Quistis: Seifer, please. She chose to fight. Besides, it was an accident.
[16:04:38] Seifer: Shut up, A cup
[16:04:45] Me: Oh please, she's grown at least a cup size over the past year
[16:05:00] Quistis: Ahem, why are we talking about my chest?
[16:05:05] Seifer: You don't like us talking about it?
[16:05:06] Quistis: No, I don't!
[16:05:16] Seifer: Alright then, meet me after class and I'll feel them instead.
[16:05:21] Seifer: Gotta make sure you're not stuffing.
[16:05:26] Me: Knock it off, you're disgusting.
[16:05:29] Seifer: You jealous?
[16:05:45] Me: WTF are you talking about
"Instructor, Seifer's harassing us," Zell tattles. It's no wonder he's always a target for bullies.
"Seifer, if I hear another complaint about you I'm going to have to ask you sit at the front of the classroom," Xu firmly tells him.
Cid enters the room and stands in front of the classroom.
"One at a time, how did this start?" he requests of us.
"I overheard Seifer picking a fight with Squall. He was defending Zell, and when I stepped in to defend him, the three of them attacked us," Quistis explains.
"I see. Raijin! Sleeping is not permitted here," he wakes him up and continues, "I have no choice but to suspend all six of you for the rest of the year."
"Headmaster, please don't punish Quistis. She tried to stop us. She was only doing what any model student here at Garden should do."