The group attacked full force against the giant machine that had ambushed them, but nothing seemed to affect it at all.

Finally Fujin hit it with the strongest thunder attack she could muster, with Skyy falling suit and combing an aero spell with her, which managed to stun it.

Then Seifer and Squall ran at it with their blades at the ready, and chained together a flurry of devastating combination moves, putting all their strenght into each one, finally causing the giant to fall to the ground. Despite, or maybe because of, their rivalry with one another, they could read each others movements flawlessly, making for a deadly combination.

"That took a lot longer than expected," Skyy said as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Automated repair sequence at twenty percent," came an electronic voice from the recently downed robot.

"What no way!" Zell exclaimed at hearing this.

"ABSURD," Fujin agreed, still catching her breath.

"We need to leave now before it gets back up!" Squall shouted.

"Everyone head back for the beach!" Seifer ordered to the group.

The group ran as fast as they could back along the mountain path, but with its large size and speed, the machine was able to effortlessly catch up to the group, getting downed multiple times in the process, only to repair itself in no time and resume the hunt.

"Damn it, why won't this thing go down already," Zell shouted as the group kept running for the beach.

"This thing is relentless, we have to hurry and get back to the gunboat before we're done for," Skyy said from behind him.

They continued running from it, and upon finally reaching the town they thought the narrow streets would help them avoid the giant menace. Unfortunately the streets were not quite narrow enough to keep it from following them, and while they were trying to get the word to evacuate to the other garden students inside a local bar, it quickly came upon them, crushing a car under its might as it gave chase.

"I'd hate to be the owner of that car when they see it like that," Zell said, sweat dripping off his forehead.

"I really hope his insurance can cover that," Seifer chipped in.

"Up ahead," Skyy exclaimed, "it's the beach!"

"We're almost out of here!" Seifer exclaimed before he and Squall jumped off the steps followed closely behind by Zell.

"Hurry up you guys!" Zell shouted at Skyy and Fujin who were just arriving at the steps.

Skyy jumped first and headed for the boat, but before Fujin was able to make the jump, the machine quickly fired at her, flinging her hard into the ground.

As it came into view, it quickly locked its sights unto Fujin, who was still trying to regain her footing after getting flung so hard to the beach. The machine marched over to her, and raised one of its giant legs and prepared to finish her off, and Fujin, not seeing any way out because of her state, closed her eye and prepared for the worst.

"Fujin!"

She didn't open her eye.

Soon she stated feeling a warm sensation come over her.

Am I...dead? She wondered.

Fujin dared to slowly open her eye, and to her surprise she wasn't dead, but instead Skyy was holding her to his chest in his arms. But what surprised her more, was that there was fire emitting from his forehead and gloves, and his eyes went from their deep blue to a bright orange, the same color as the flames, and he gave a far more serious look.

His hands and his forehead are…on fire? But his hands don't burn, they just feel…warm. Just what's going on here? Wait, could these flames be...

Before Fujin could finish her thought while taking in the sight before her, she remembered they were in the midst of a battle.

She looked up to see that the machine had raised its leg, preparing for another stomp. But before she know it, she and Skyy were now behind the large mechanical creature. Skyy set Fujin back on solid ground.

"Fujin, hurry back to the ship with the others and get someone on the gun, I'll keep it busy for you," Skyy told her, his voice coming out deeper then she remembered it.

"BUT-"

Before she could argue, she quickly found herself in his embrace and looked up to see him giving her his warm smile.

"Fujin, trust me," he said patting her head, "I'll be fine, now hurry."

With that Fujin nodded and quickly headed for the boat she and the others had arrived in to let them know what he said.

While Fujin went for the boat, Skyy was flying around to get the mechanized monsters attention, and was dodging the giants attacks when he did, staying just ahead of its gun fire, using his gloves flames to propel him.

"Alright you scrap heap, I'll show what happens when you attack one of my comrades like that," Skyy said in a calm yet deadly serious tone as he prepared to fight the machine head on.

The machine quickly opened fire on him once more, but he was able to continue staying ahead of the shots thanks to his flames, and he quickly flew underneath the giant and slammed his fist directly in its middle, causing it to toss upwards on it's hind legs.

Skyy took this chance and began emitting his flames furiously as he flew up and around the beast in a corkscrew fashion, and then came spiraling down, hitting the machine as hard as he could, causing a small explosion in the process. He landed back on the ground, sweat dripping from his body as he caught his breath.

Damn, this things tough, I should have just fought him from the start instead of wasting my energy running from it, Skyy thought to himself as he wiped the sweat from his brow before it could get into his eye.

"Skyy!"

He heard his name called out and turned to see instructor Trepe on the assault boats machine gun, along with Seifer and Squall coming back out of the boat. This proved to be a dangerous mistake however, as the machine used one of its giant arms and knocked Skyy across the beach while he wasn't paying attention.

The last thing he heard was the firing of the machine gun, the bullets hitting the robots hard metal, and before his vision left he could see two blurry figures running towards him. Then all he saw and heard was nothingness.


After returning to the Balamb docks, Zell helped Squall and Fujin load Skyy into their car before running back to his own, telling them to make sure they head to the doctor when they get back to the garden.

Seifer called dibs on driving, and Quistis took the passenger seat, while Squall sat in the middle row on his own, and Fujin sat in the back, with Skyy laid out across it, gently placing his head on her lap.

"What the hell was that stuff he was pulling off back at the beach," Seifer asked, hoping someone could explain what he and the others saw.

"Flames," Quistis answered simply.

"Flames?" Squall asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Indeed," Quistis replied, "to be specific, a sky flame. Something that every leader and candidate of the Vongola are known for possessing.

I was right, Fujin thought to herself as she looked over Skyys' unconscious state. I've never actually seen flames used up close like that, but I know there are some people in school who can use them, though not on the scale that he was. She put a hand to his forehead where she saw the flames emitting from. When he's sleeping like this he seems so...peaceful. She smiled at his unconscious form, noticing how restful he looked.

She soon noticed he was starting to come to, as he began moving his head around on her lap slightly and his eye lids began twitching, trying to open.

"Hey, looks like he's coming to," Squall told the others up front.

"That's good," Quistis replied, "but don't let him move around too much Fujin, we still need to get back to the garden and have Doctor Kadowaki take a look at him."

As Skyy was squinting, trying to open his eyes, he felt a throbbing pain on his right side.

Good thing I had my dying will mode or that would have probably done me in, he thought to his self, still trying to get his bearings.

"Feels like I got hit by a truck," he mumbled.

"Close enough," he heard someone say

"Can you move any?" he heard another ask him.

That…kinda sounds like squall. And what am I lying on anyway? It feels really…soft.

"Yeah, hurts like hell when I do though," Skyy managed to mumble out before turning on his side, and innocently started nuzzling whatever it was he was lying on.

Fujin couldn't help but blush when he did this.

"AHEM," She spoke up, trying to get his attention.

It worked.

"Eh, I wouldn't happen to be lying on," he turned his head back up and managed to open his eyes just enough to see something red staring at him through bits of silver, "ah it's Fujin. Fujin!"

He jumped up when he realized that he had not only being laying on her lap, but had even nuzzled it in his dreary state. This jump quickly led to a yelp of pain as Skyy realized his body was still in immense pain after getting hit. This one man spectacle managed to get a laugh from both Seifer and the instructor from the front seat. Only Squall found this annoying, rubbing his forehead.

"Sorry Fujin I didn't realize I was lying on you," Skyy said, giving a nervous laugh.

"FORGET," She shrugged and turned to face the window.

"Well...um thank you, Fujin. For letting me rest on you like that," he said, nervously chuckling

She turned around to respond only to be met with his usual smile, the same one that kept bring back that wretched pounding in her chest whenever she saw it. She simply nodded and quickly turned back to the window before anyone could see her, just in case her cheeks decided to turn red again.


The infirmary was empty except for Doctor Kadowaki, Skyy, and Fujin, who was on the other side of the curtain, and had agreed to make sure Skyy managed to get to it alright.

"Well Skyy," the doctor said as she looked over a file, "it seems like everything is fine, though you should probably take it easy for a little while, and get some rest after the graduation ceremony. That was a very nasty hit you took, it's amazing that you're still alive."

"Just lucky I guess," he chuckled warmly, "thanks for the check up dock," Skyy said as he eased off the bed and started putting his jacket back on.

"Also, about what's on your-"

"That's personal...nothing to do with the test," he cut her off, the playfulness leaving his voice.

"I see..."

What's personal? Is something wrong with him? Fujin couldn't help but wonder when she over heard them.

Doctor Kadowaki pulled back the curtain and Fujin stood up when Skyy walked over to her.

"Now then, the two of you had better hurry up to the second floor before you miss your names being called," Kadowaki said smiling softly at the both of them.

They both nodded and quickly took off from the infirmary and headed for the elevator and up to the second floor, where they ran into the others, save for Quistis.

"Yo," Zell called out as he ran towards the two of them with Rajin behind him, "Sweet, you made it just in time. They're just about to call the last of the candidates. Rajin and I just got done and we are now officially SeeD members!" he exclaimed through a large grin on his face.

"Hey don't forget about me," a feminine voice came from behind the two of them, "I passed too you know."

A short brown haired girl popped out from behind Zell and Raijin.

"Oh right, Skyy and Fujin, I'd like you to meet Selphie, she transferred from Trabia garden for the exam, she was part of squad A with Rajin and I."

"Nice to meet you," she smiled and extended her hand.

"Likewise," Skyy smiled and took her hand.

Fujin Just nodded at the girl.

"You two had better head over to Seifer and Squall over there before you guys get called, ya know?" Rajin told the two of them.

"AFFIRMATIVE," Fujin nodded.

"Right, thanks guys, and congratulations on passing," Skyy said smiling before he and Fujin went to meet up with Seifer and Squall.

"About time you two showed up," Seifer said as he leaned against the wall.

Before Skyy could make any kind of retort, the head master came on over the intercom.

"Will the following SeeD candidates please report to my office. Squall, Seifer, Fujin, and Skyy. Those four who were called please come up to my office. As for the rest of you, better luck next time.

As the group headed to the elevator, a trio of disappointed students snapped their fingers and hung their heads in unison.