(except for... the CHARACTERS!)
Chapter Four
What's In A Name?
Raijin came for me early, but I was all ready awake. Years and years of Her had taught me not to dare to sleep past the crack of dawn. I sat on my pillow, hooded by the blanket so that hardly an inch of my body was directly exposed. Raijin chuckled when he saw this.
"Nice outfit, ya know?"
I gritted my teeth, offended. "No. Worried."
"About what?"
"Cancer."
"Why?"
"Sun," I nodded upwards. Raijin was confused.
"Why the sun? You can't get cancer from just being in the sun, ya know?"
"Mother said."
"You're mother's nuts. I think she was trying to scare you or something, ya know? Come on," he motioned for me to drop the blanket, and I did, however reluctiantly. "I want to teach you something first. Creatures tend to prey on dwadling beings, ya know? So I wanna teach you to use magic even before we get your weapon."
I listen with fasination as Raijin tells me how to draw and use magical attacks. He lets me draw a few from him to start with. I draw aero, cure, and fira. There's a lot of things to remember, but it's so amazing that I don't think I'll forget.
"Oh yeah," Raijin mutters as we start out. "I forgot to tell you, ya know? I hafta meet Seifer for lunch. I tried to get out of it, ya know? But he just wouldn't listen, ya know?" I nod, unsure what I'm supposed to do while he eats.
Our first encounter with a creature is with a Bite Bug, which looks like an over sized mosquito. Raijin allows me to make the first attack. I summon up the energy required to cast aero, but it isn't working. The Bug chooses to attack with fire. Magical flames spread over my body. I thought I was screaming out, but I didn't hear anything. THe intense pain only lasted a few seconds, but it forced me to stumble back and land on my butt. I felt considerably weaker, and incredibly embarrased.
I scrambled to my feet, but no longer had the energy to fight. I half-hoped that Raijin would kill the bug, but instead he cast cure on me. It felt like I was flying for just a second.
"Try again, ya know?" He shouted to me.
This time I consentrated even harder, and my aero worked! A windy ring formed around the bug and zapped its energy. The bug wavered a second in the air, then dropped to the ground where it was immediately absorbed. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins. Raijin beamed proudly.
"You did it! In one blow, too, ya know?! That was amazing, Fujin!"
I almost didn't catch the words he said, but it hit me last second. "Fujin?"
"That's what I'm gonna call you, ya know? It's perfect for you."
"Fujin," I repeated, pleased and honored. I never smiled as much to this very day.
~*~*~*~*~
When Raijin and I entered the weapons shop in Balamb, I was astounded. I never imagined so many horrible looking objects! I tensed up immediately, expecting Mother to jump out with something in her hands. Raijin didn't seem to notice, though, as he pranced happily around the shop like a little boy in a toy store. "What whould be perfect for Fujin?" he asked himself. "Here's a whip...no...too wimpy. Nunchaku? Nah... What do you think, Fuu?"
"Uh..." I shrugged, "Don't... know... what... are..."
He nodded, in response. "Okay, I'll show you. This is a staff," he said, motioning to the line of huge oar-looking things he'd been practically drooling over a moment ago. "Large blunt poles used for hitting and beating on people repeatedly."
I pictured Mother with one of these large poles and winced visibly. Raijin continued, "A staff would be too big for you, though, you aren't tall enough. These," he moved his hand to to a showcase of elaborate looking sword-like things. "Are gunblades. This is what Seifer uses. Causes the most damage of all weapons, but incredibly expensive and difficult to use. Hmm... your fists are too small to use weighted or spiked gloves, and a gun just wouldn't do enough... a-HA!" He cried out in triumph, picking up a blue pinwheel-type thing with blades around it. "This is perfect! A shuriken! Can throw from a distance, and slash right up front, and still cause pleanty of damage! Specially made so you can even junction wind to it!" He grinned from ear to ear as he presented me with his prize. "Perfect for you, don't you think?" I turn it over in my hands to admire it from all angles. It's light weight and elegant, but has a look that says 'destroy!' I'd love to use it against Mother more than anyone. I flick my eyes down to the price. 2500 gil. My eyes grow huge and I gently, but quickly, put it back down.
"What's wrong? Don't like it?" Raijin almost sounds hurt.
I shake my head. "Expensive."
He smiles warmly, placing a large hand on my shoulder. "Not a problem." Again, he picks it up, and this time marches right over to the chashier to purchase it. I thank him graciously for almost fifteen minutes.
~*~*~*~*~
While Raijin eats lunch with Seifer, I sit on the docks of Balamb looking out towards to what was explained to me was the city of Dollet. I think about Mother as my feet dangle above the water. Does she think of me? Is she angry? Sad? What would she do if I went back? Would she kill me?
The thoughts were less than comforting, and I found myself with my knees drawn up to my chest sobbing. People passing by stared or laughed coldly. A few children made fun of my torn, dirty clothes. I realized, then, how alone I really was.
Nearly an hour later, Raijin came for me. He presented me with a cone filled with a soft white substance I reckognized as something Mother had eaten on occasion. He smiled as I accepted one just like his.
"Have some ice cream, ya know?"
I tasted it and decided I never had something so wonderful tasting. Raijin chatted endlessly about my new weapon, and how he was going to borrow some books from the library about it so he could teach me. I just smiled as I walked beside him back to the forest. Again, he asked me to join him at the Garden, and I refused. He smiled a sad smile as he whispered. "You're a brave woman, Fujin. I hope I see you tomorrow."
[end chapter four]
