Chapter 21

Kailyn

I looked around the room warily; ready to flee the moment anyone appeared to be heading toward me to ask for a dance. I know how to dance, everyone had to learn, but…well, I don't want to have everyone staring at me. I was startled by a girl walking up to me, looking somewhat lost. She had black hair, about the same length as my own, with a few strands dyed caramel brown. She had doe brown eyes, and was wearing a champagne white dress with heels the same color.

"Hi! I was wondering if you know where the refreshments are," she said.

"Yeah, I do," I replied.

"Oh, can you show me where they are?" I chuckled softly at her hopeful expression.

"Yeah, follow me." I led her around the dance floor and to the other side of the room. "Here you go. Hope you find the person you're looking for."

"Bu…I never said I was looking for someone," the raven-haired girl stuttered. I smiled mysteriously.

"You didn't have to," I replied, smiling knowingly before heading back to my spot. I skirted around the edge of the dance floor, watching the couples dance. I spotted Nida and a woman with a crimson dress dancing in the middle; I snorted with soft laughter when I remembered that Squall and Rinoa started dancing. I continued to the pillar near the entrance, trying to make myself invisible in the corner.

I watched couples dance from my little corner of the large ballroom, seeing Squall and Selphie enter out of the corner of my eye. Selphie bounced off after a quick wave to the quiet brunet, while said brunet found a pillar to lean against.

You know, he looks really good in that uniform. No wonder Sylvia had a crush on him…

"Well, why did you have a crush on Zell?" Siren asked.

I was envious of his ability to talk to most anyone and all of his energy. But I've grown up.

I watched the blond martial artist talking to Squall, before running off. Selphie ambushed him, probably asking if he'd join the Festival Committee, and Zell hurried off. Then Selphie talked to Squall before running off. I chuckled at her hyper-activeness. I wonder if she'll ever calm down…

I sighed, pushing off the pillar and heading over to Squall. His steely-blue eyes glanced at me warily as he sipped the champagne.

"Good evening, Squall," I started.

"Hn," was his reply. He sipped from the glass in his hands again.

"I came over to say good work on passing the SeeD exam. I heard you had the best score."

The brunet gunblade specialist shrugged. I chuckled before turning around and heading back to my own pillar. "Well, congrats. See you later," I said over my shoulder.

"You too," I heard from behind me. I just waved over my shoulder before disappearing behind the pillar.

"Kai! There you are!" Selphie squealed. I was tackled by all 5'1 ½" of my best friend.

"Oof!" I exhaled sharply before reaching out and hugging her. "Hi Sel."

"Congrats! I didn't see you at all after the speeches! So, how'd you do?" she asked, letting go of me. Her bright green eyes sparkled with happiness and curiosity.

"I'm a Rank 9. I didn't really take out that many enemies," I replied. "I heard Squall is Rank 10."

"Yup, yup! I'm an 8. I think that was from the prerequisite…" the brunette trailed off in thought.

"Hn. Hey, have you seen Sylvia? I promised her I'd talk to her." Selphie perked up.

"Oh, yeah! I think she's out on one of the balconies. Said there wasn't anyone she wanted to dance with," was the reply. I nodded.

"Thanks. I'll see you later?"

"Alright! Tell her I said 'hey', kay?" Selphie grinned.

"Will do. Hey, go find yourself a guy to dance with. You need to get rid of some of that energy," I advised. Selphie giggled before running off. I shook my head, starting off in the direction of the balconies.

Sylvia

I leaned against the stone railing, looking out over the Garden. It was beautiful. I sighed, craning my head back to look at the sky.

"Sylvia…" Quezacotl sighed.

I'm fine. I'm just…confused. What did Cid mean? Why would I forget someone close to my heart? It doesn't make sense!

"Sylvia…?" The tentative call broke me out of my thoughts as I looked back. There stood the girl, Kailyn. Her dark brown hair fell into her face, covering one of her dark green eyes. Those eyes were familiar, and yet completely alien to me… Where've I seen them before…?

"Hey. Congratulations on passing," I smiled. "Trabia must be a good Garden to go to, since both you and Selphie came from there and passed." Kailyn chuckled, shaking her head.

"I guess. Congrats to you, too," she replied, leaning against the railing next to me and looking up at the dark night sky.

"Thanks." We stood in silence for a while, both of us in our thoughts.

"Hey, Kailyn?" I murmured. She looked at me from the corner of her eye. "What did you mean, back in the hall?"

"'Bout what?" she asked.

"Well, after my speech, you said something like…"

"'That was profound coming from you,'" she quoted.

"Yeah." She sighed, turning to face me, but not meeting my eyes directly.

"Sylv…" She sighed again, looking down for a moment before meeting my eyes, determination sparking in her own emerald ones. "Sylvia. What do you remember before you came to Garden?" I looked at her in confusion.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Do you remember going to a beach with friends? Do you remember the house you lived in? Do you remember…Do you remember if you had siblings?" I looked down in thought.

What do I remember…? …Not a lot… I do remember talking to Zell and Quisty and Dell about… "…a twin sister…" I whispered. I looked up and met Kailyn's eyes again. "I remember I had a twin sister."

"…Sylvia…" Her eyes turned a smoky-green. Pain…? Why is she hurting…? "Sylvia…I'm your sister," Kailyn whispered. Unshed tears sparkled in her eyes and her voice was rough with trying to hold those tears back.

I blinked rapidly, taking a step back. "W-what?" I looked at the SeeD before me, seeing past the hardened edges of her face and eyes. I saw the young girl who was under the tough shell that comes from being a SeeD cadet. "No…no, it can't be…" I muttered. I was breathing harder, and I wanted to flee. But I was trapped by those pained, smoky-green eyes.

"…You don't remember…do you…" The question was spoken softly, barely heard over the music and the breeze.

"I…I don't know what there is to remember…" I replied, just as softly. Kailyn closed her eyes tightly and bowed her head. Maybe it was the alpha in me wanting to protect her, maybe it was my sisterly instincts. But, whatever that reason was, it hurt me to see this girl I barely knew in so much emotional pain.

"…I'm sorry for bothering you, Sylvia," Kailyn murmured before running inside the ballroom.

"Kailyn, wait!" I called, reaching out to grab her arm. But she was already gone. I stared at the spot the brunette with eyes of familiar emerald had disappeared as my arm dropped to my side.

"Sylvia…? Are you alright?" Quezacotl asked softly. I let his soothing voice wash through me.

I…I will be. Maybe, I replied. The Guardian was quiet for a while, then he started to sing softly in a strange language. The song reminded me of rainstorms and lightning, of thunder and spring showers, of hurricanes and nights spent at my window watching the bright flashes in the clouds during thunderstorms. The song was comforting, like a mother soothing her child who had a nightmare.

I sighed, walking into the ballroom and to the entrance. I paused to look at the couples dancing on the floor, and saw Squall dancing with…wait…isn't that Seifer's girlfriend, Rinoa or something? Oh, Hyne. That is her… what's she doing dancing with Squall? Shouldn't she be dancing with Seif?

I exited the room, my thoughts a whirlwind of questions. Through it all, Quezacotl kept singing. I walked slowly to my dorm, having packed all my stuff earlier, and gathered it all up, moving it to the hall. My new dorm was S F 28. I found the dorm, and opening it with the keycard given to me at the inauguration, stepped in, pushing and pulling everything in with me.

Looking around the room, I noticed very few differences between this and my double dorm. A sitting room connected to a bedroom. The only real difference is the bathroom was connected to the bedroom instead of the sitting room. A house plant stood in one corner, next to a desk with a bunch of stuff I didn't care to examine. A couch and coffee table stood in front of a TV. In the bedroom was a slightly larger bed than my old one, with a kitchenette. It was mostly just a coffee maker, a sink, some cupboards, a mini-fridge, and a microwave on a counter top that was on two walls. A stereo with optional music player dock sat on one end of the counter. I'll probably use the counter as a place to clean my sword, or hold magazines and CDs or something.

I pushed all of my things in the middle of the sitting room, then took a shower before collapsing in the bed. I lay there, staring at the ceiling.

…what the hell is going on? Cid tells me some cryptic message that won't help my career as a SeeD in the least. Kailyn, who I barely know, claims to be my sister. And I see Seifer's girlfriend dancing with my crush. All of this happens after running around Dollet like a chicken with my head cut off! I can hear the acidity of my thoughts, but don't make a move to think more cheerful thoughts.

"Sylvia, let me put this bluntly," Fenrir started. "Shit happens. But, when it does, you just have to go with it. Things'll get better sometime. But they have to get worse before they get better."

"You have a lot of nerve talking to one of the Prophesized like that, Pup," Quezacotl growled. Go figure, the Guardian that looks most like a bird growls.

One of the what? I asked. Know what? Never mind. I doubt I could deal with a long story right now.

"I understand. You should sleep; it'll be a busy day tomorrow," the elder Guardian responded. He started singing the song from earlier again, and soon I was asleep.

I was running through the streets, laughing. A 7-year-old girl with dark brown hair cut to about shoulder length and green eyes ran next to me. She was laughing and her eyes sparkled with humor. They weren't dark, unlike the last time I'd seen those same eyes.

"Hey, Kai, Sylv, wait up!" a voice cried. I glanced behind us to see two girls chasing us. One was 10 years old and had long blonde with white eyes, and the other had waist-length brown hair with dark brown eyes. Though they did have long hair, it wasn't as long as mine. …Yes, I'm bragging.

Both girls were breathless, struggling to keep up with our endurance, so I slowed to a walk, and Kailyn fell into step behind me. The two girls caught up to us, then doubled over, trying to catch their breath.

"You…You two…have too…much endurance," the blonde gasped out.

"Chi, stop being so dramatic," I chided. "You should be more fit, especially since Lynn is making you work out with him." Chi glared.

"Yeah, try doing his workout and see how you feel," she glowered.

"Hey, don't start arguing," Kailyn pleaded.

"…Then you woke up and it was just a dream," the blonde said. The brunette girls blinked, confused.

"What?" they asked. I was laughing.

"Well, you didn't want us arguing, and so, like in dreams, it is gone!" Chi grinned.

"Ooo-kaay?" Kailyn said, looking unsurely at the two of us. "Hanyu, let's go to the dojo."

The other brunette nodded, then they started off to the town's training center, where we all went to learn how to wield weapons and defend ourselves in hand-to-hand.

"Hey, Sylv," Chi whispered, grinning maniacally . "I have an idea!" I listened as my best friend told me what to do.

30 minutes later:

We had set everything up according to Chi's crazy plan. I was hiding behind one of the buildings near the dojo with a bunch of water balloons filled with syrup (1). Chi was waiting on the other side of the street with the bag of feathers. Do you see where this is going?

We watched the door of the center closely, waiting for the girls to walk out. A few minutes later, they did, looking tired. They probably were; Sensai pushed his students hard. I looked at Chi and flashed her a quick hand sign, to which she nodded, grinning like a crazy person. Oh…wait, she is…

I waited until they got closer before jumping out from the corner of the building, shouting a war cry. The two girls screamed, frightened, then I started throwing the syrup-bombs. They covered the two in sticky, drippy syrup, and Chi jumped out and burst the bag, causing the feathers to stick to the syrup, making Hanyu and Kailyn look like half-feathered chickens, or partly-feathered people…

Chi and I started laughing hysterically, while the two victims of Chi's strange and insane mind looked at us, shocked.

"…What was that?" Hanyu asked first. She looked at my twin (and her best friend) in confusion and shock.

"Oh, you shoulda seen your faces!" Chi choked out between laughs. I couldn't hope to talk any time soon, I was laughing too hard.

"Kailyn? Oh, dear Lord," a woman's voice asked. I looked and saw my mother holding a hand to her forehead in exasperation. She had short black hair, similar to mine, but with dark brown highlights instead of navy blue. When she looked up, she took in Kai and Han's sticky and feathered forms before her hazel eyes landed on me and Chi.

"What did you two do this time?" she sighed. "…Never mind. I don't want to know. Kai, Hanyu? Why don't we clean you girls up? Chi, Sylvia, you're helping."

"Yes, ma'am," we replied in monotone.

"Thanks, Mrs. Marriba," Hanyu said softly as we started toward our house.

"Don't worry about it, Hanyu," my mum replied. We walked along in silence for a while. I noticed that Kailyn and Hanyu got some interested looks. The only confused looks came from people who didn't live in town; everyone was used to Chi's pranks, but always wary. We never knew what she would do next. I think she gets it from her dad. Mr. Uzumaki always played pranks when he was younger.

We got to our house, and used the hose and a ton of dish soap on the two girls, getting off the syrup and feathers. It was easier to use the hose instead of the shower, and Mum didn't want to be picking feathers out of the drain.

After that, we let the two quiet girls in the house and gave them each a towel and a change of clothes. Then we watched some movies. We were in the middle of Jurassic Park when everything started fading…

I woke up, staring at the ceiling. What the hell was that? Strange dream… Why was Kailyn in it? Who are Chi and Hanyu? What is going on? I asked myself. I was interrupted by someone pounding on the door.

"Sylvia! Get up!" Selphie called. I groaned, burying my head in my pillow. "We've got our first SeeD mission! Looks like we're going to Timber. Meet by the front gate! Hurry!" Then she was gone.

It took me a few moments to comprehend what she told me, but when I did, I shot out of bed and around the room, gathering supplies and things. After taking another shower, I tied my hair up and got dressed, wearing a pair of jeans that weren't so tight that I couldn't fight but weren't so loose they were falling down and a black tee under a brown dragon-skin jacket. (2) I put my boots and belt on last, making sure all of my items were packed neatly and my Dao was secured at my hip.

The last thing I grabbed was my new SeeD ID card, which told my number and Rank. (3) It also doubled as my keycard and a credit/debit card. My account would automatically put in my pay, and I'd have access to it immediately.

Once I was sure I was set, I exited my room and locked the door behind me, stopping by the cafeteria to snag some fruit and a piece of toast before actually heading to the front gate.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; that right belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

(1) Don't ask me if that actually works, or tell me that it doesn't. I haven't done anything like that, but I had to put it in. That's something Chi would do.

(2) Go to my profile and look at my Avatar's picture. The jacket and shirt are what Sylv's wearing, but the tee is longer than shown in the pic. And, they do live in a world with dragons, which have the toughest skin of all creatures, so why not have clothes made out of it? How else would Squall's jacket stay intact after all the shit he's been through? It makes sense.

(3) Um, think of it like an electronic card, almost. There is one part of the card that is electric, and is wirelessly connected to the Garden. When a SeeD goes up or down in rank, the database in Garden is updated, and sends a signal to the card and automatically changes the rank number shown. Or something like that.

Hey! Another chapter (finally) finished! Yay! *looks at the readers, and, suddenly remembering, dives behind desk. Peeking out, in a high-pitched voice* Please don't hurt me! I know this chapter is over-due (by about 2 or three weeks…), but my laptop hasn't been letting me log onto ffnet, and I haven't found time to move the chapter to the home PC until recently! Think of it this way, at least you didn't have to wait until this weekend to read it! *Holds Rinoa in front of the readers* If you must throw rotten veggies at someone, throw them at Rinoa! She's been causing me problems, not cooperating with the flow of the story!

Ok, I have some things I should explain first: Chi and Hanyu aren't mine, but Crazy-hime Suni Uchiha's. Thanks for letting me borrow your characters, girl! I couldn't think of any people to be friends with Sylvia and Kailyn when they were younger, but Suni came to my rescue! She has a ton of OCs, and she went through them and found the two that would most likely be friends with the twins.

These two characters, as well as Chi's twin brother Lynn, are from Crazy-hime Suni Uchiha's own fanfic based in the Naruto world, which is why I mentioned a 'Mr. Uzumaki.' No they aren't siblings. Chi is Naruto Uzumaki's daughter, and Hanyu is Neji's daughter. So, it's Chi Uzumaki and Hanyu Hyuga. Chi is weird, and crazy. She's loud, too, which is why she was best friends with Sylvia. She also loves to prank others. Hanyu is quiet and shy, a lot like Kai was earlier in the story.

So, got that sorted out. Just ask if anything isn't clear.

I have the rest of the week free, except for Thursday (tomorrow). So I should be able to get more writing done. No promises though. And don't expect a chapter this weekend, either. Chapter 22 is not finished, nor near finished. Blame the Twins and Rinoa for being difficult.

Loves ya's all!

Risika Kiisu

I'm not saying anything this time. …Nothing pertaining to the advancements in the story, that is. I just wanted to drop by and say 'Hey peeps!' And ask what y'all thought 'bout it. …well, I'm off to think of how to get to Timber… Cause that's comin' up next! Stuck in the train with Selphie, Zell, and Squall…while they're unconscious… Joy… Please note the heavy sarcasm.

Sylvia

Hey. You got another flashback to see our lives before Gaia. …Oh, Hyne help me. That sounds like a bad sitcom. "'Our Lives before Gaia,' where two girls tell what their lives were like before being mysteriously transported to a made up world." …That's bad…I need to get my mind checked. ...you know what I mean!

Please tell us how you liked it! Or give us suggestions, hints, tips, comments, questions… etc.

And, last, but not least, hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your time with family and friends, stuffing yourselves with turkey or ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and whatever else you all eat. AND, Happy Birthday to Irvine Kinneas, who's birthday (November 24) falls on Thanksgiving this year (which, if you didn't know, is 2011 XP). Here is a slice of cake for everyone. I made it myself. n.n

Ciao

Kailyn