Rinoa walked in silence with Selphie up the hallway
towards the infirmary. Selphie still refused to speak to her about
what was going on and Rinoa really didn't want to pressure her. Selphie
and Rinoa had at one point been close in size but Rinoa had grown 3 inches
taller and now stood 5'6 to Selphie's 5'1. It seemed to Rinoa that
Selphie had lost considerable weight in the the past few months but under
the baggy sweater and thick stockings Rinoa couldn't be completely sure.
She hoped Selphie wasn't pregnant; that would be a disaster but it could
explain Selphie's weakness and her inability to keep food in her stomach
for more that a short while. Selphie had been depressed and tired
looking for a few months and Rinoa hoped she wasn't alone in her concerns.
Irvine hadn't been his usual cheery self recently and Rinoa wondered if
something bad had happened between them. Or maybe he was just
worried about Selphie too.
The Balamb Garden infirmary was already full of
girls, most of whom had ensconced themselves in the hallway just outside
of it. Selphie crumpled on the floor and buried her head on her knees
thus discouraging Rinoa from talking to her. Rinoa shrugged and sat
down next to her wishing she could do something.
Dr. Kadowaki and Fujin addressed the group.
The doctor said, "Well as you all know the new headmaster has ordered health
exams for every student. These exams will include height, weight,
vision, blood work, heart rhythm, urine, blood pressure and other vital
signs. Also all students will be given drug tests oh yes and all
girls who have reached puberty will have to have pregnancy tests."
A few of the stupider girls giggled about the pregnancy
tests but Fujin glared at them, "QUIET! YOU! LISTEN!"
Dr. Kadowaki nodded, "Oh and Fujin is here to keep
you all in line. Part of her duty as a member of the disciplinary
comittee. The new headmaster insists that these health exams are
mandatory and Fujin has been given specific orders to punish any young
lady who chooses not to cooperate. Ok now everyone line up!
I will call your names and them you will step up to this scale right here!"
Quistis emerged from the infirmary carrying a scale
which she set in the hall in front of the doctor, "Doctor remember the
rest..."
The doctor nodded, "Oh yes all of you must strip
down to your underwear to be examined in. These are the headmasters
rules. Besides it will give me an accurate perception of your health
if I can see you without the clothing on. All right I am going
to go and pull some charts from my files. All of you girls strip
and be ready when I get back.
All the girls began reluctantly taking off their
outer clothing. Well all of them except for Selphie. She hadn't
moved at all. Rinoa nudged her but Selphie simply raise her hand
in protest. Rinoa began undoing her own clothes. Fujin and
Quistis were helping the younger children but they soon noticed the reluctant
Selphie.
"YOU. GIRL. GET UP!" Fujin stated. Rinoa could
tell Selphie was crying by the muffled sobs coming from her lap.
"Selphie!" Quistis gently shook her, "What's
wrong? It's ok... we're not going to laugh at you in your underwear.
It's just us girls in here."
Rinoa could tell that modesty wasn't really what
was upsetting Selphie. She'd seen Selphie in her underwear during
the winter holidays when the two of them had gone to Rinoa's fathers house
in Deling City. She and Selphie had shared her room in what basically
had been a big slumber party. And she knew Selphie had slept with
Irvine because the two girls always confided in each other. Of course
the crowd of girls in the infirmary hallway might have been Selphie's problem
but then Rinoa remembered Selphie had worn a bikini on costume day and
everyone had seen her then.
"If you don't undress Selphie Fujin and I will have
to do it for you and you don't want that." Quistis prodded.
Selphie looked up at them with her tear streaked
face but finally she stood and began to unbutton her sweater. Rinoa
gasped in horror as she saw the bruises on Selphie's thin little arms.
Selphie had gotten so much thinner than she had once been. She looked
so pitiful and childlike that Rinoa wanted to hug her but Quistis held
her back. When Selphie stood there in her skimpy bra and panties
everyone was horrified. Her frail body was covered in bruises and
her bones were plainly visible.
Dr. Kadowaki emerged then and looked shocked at
the sight of Selphie, "Alright young lady into my office at once."
She grabbed Selphie's arm and Quistis and Fujin followed her.
The other girls sat around in mystified silence
for a moment but then Rinoa heard impudent whispers behing her, "God where
do you think she gets those bruises?"
Rinoa recognized the speaker as Carena Shelt and
she heard a response from a girl named Jesina Whicks, "Carena I bet
her boyfriend beats her! He looks violent!"
Another girl Toria Miry giggled, "Or maybe she just
likes rough sex!"
Rinoa couldn't stand it any longer, "You three bitches
need to stop talking about Selphie and Irvine like that! None of that shit
is true!"
Carena smugly sneered at Rinoa, "Oh and who's going
to make us?"
Rinoa shoved Carena into the wall, "Me that's who!"
Lindy and Xu both got up then too, "We'll whoop
your asses too."
"Fight! Fight!" shrieked the other girls as the
angry sextet went at each others throats. Quistis, Dr. Kadawaki and
Fujin were much too concerned with Selphie to pay any heed to the commotion
in the hall.
